Toxic
by Tazallie
Summary: Sequel to Life and death. Gibbs meets a new red head who wants more than just his help. Will Gibbs survive his mystery illness? And has Ari finished with his game of cat and mouse? GAbby. Post twilight. COMPLETED.
1. Chapter 1

**Usual disclaimers apply I dont own the characters in this story (except liz) I just wish I did because then Gibbs would be mine and I would be rich! The charcters belong to MR B and CBS, with a big thank you for creating them for us.**

**Rating is T mainly for language.**

**This is the sequel to Life and Death and is set after Twighlight.**

**pairing -Gabby..what else?**

**as always please feed me...leave feedback!**

Chapter 1

Gibbs stared at his screen, his eyes following the words written there but his mind taking in none of the meanings behind them. He flicked his gaze over his computer and watched briefly as Liz talked on the phone. He noted absently the habit she had of twisting the phone cord around her finger, often getting it stuck in the process. Liz was on secondment from the British military police; ostensibly it had only been whilst they tracked down and apprehended Ari Haswari, the terrorist that had killed Caitlin Todd, a former member of the secret service and a member of Gibbs's team at the time of her murder. But somehow Liz had managed to extend the secondment for a year, and so was now a permanent fixture at Caitlin's old desk. Gibbs turned his head slightly and took in Tony DiNozzo, and smiled slightly. He was sitting with his feet propped on his desk, his keyboard balanced on his lap and his fingers tapping away at the keys. Gibbs watched surreptitiously as DiNozzo flicked a screwed up ball of paper at Liz opposite him. He watched as without pausing in her conversation Liz caught the paper missile and launched it straight back at DiNozzo, hitting him squarely in the forehead. Gibbs struggled not to laugh as he turned his full attention and steely gaze on DiNozzo.

"Next time I will add a rock into the fray" Gibbs growled at Tony, his eyes hard and cold whilst inside he wanted to laugh loudly. Tony gasped at having been caught, the shock of Gibbs's voice causing him to drop his feet from the desk, sending the keyboard sliding to the ground. In his haste to retrieve it Tony slipped off his chair and ended up sprawled on the floor in an ungainly heap. He stuck his head over the desk and grinned weakly at Gibbs

"Yes Boss" he said somewhat sheepishly as he picked himself up off the floor, shooting Liz a glare for good measure as he turned to retrieve his chair.

Gibbs turned at a sound behind him and glared at the youngest member of the team, Timothy McGee was a young agent who Gibbs had had promoted onto his team sometime before, the young man was often nervous and easily intimidated but had all the markings of being an excellent investigator. He watched as McGee caught sight of Gibbs glaring at him and swallowed his laughter mid voice, almost choking on it in the process. McGee smiled sheepishly at Gibbs before bending his head to his computer monitor, the sound of keys being tapped rapidly reaching Gibbs in seconds.

Gibbs sat back in his chair for a moment and smiled to himself. Things had changed since Kate's death, but life was moving on and he knew that that was what Kate would want.

Gibbs looked up at a familiar prickle on the back of his neck and smiled as Abby Sciuto came bounding out of the elevator and headed towards his desk. He drank in the sight of her, dressed today in black pants covered in zips and belts, toped with a red and blackstripped t-shirt and black lace gloves. He turned his attention to her face, shining with enthusiasm for life and everything in it.Her makeup would be the envy of snow white with blood red lips, white skin and dark laughing eyes, crowned by her sleek black hair tied as usual in pig tails. He silently mulled over the way he felt when she was near him as he watched her approach. It had been two months since Ari had kidnapped Abby and Gibbs had finally admitted his feelings to himself about her. They had been seeing each other personally since then, but Gibbs refused to rush things with her, even though all he wanted was to keep her with him all the time. He privately admitted to himself that Abby was the most important person in his life, but he was damned if he would admit it to anyone else, not even to Abby. He watched as she stopped at Liz's desk for a moment, dropping a small sack onto it. Gibbs lent forward slightly and struggled to make out the words on the paper bag, internally cursing his failing eyesight. He wasn't able to make out the name but the logo looked like that of the little heath food deli down the street. Liz smiled her thanks and reached for the bag as she continued talking on the phone.

"What about me?" Gibbs heard Tony moan at Abby. He watched as Abby turned to look at Tony, a huge grin on her face as she crossed over to stand in front of his desk.

"You can share mine" Abby said sweetly, her eyes glinting with mischief as she perched on the side of Tony's desk. "It's really, really great" she told him as she took out a small wrapped parcel from the bag. "Roasted vegetable medley with tofu wrapped in wholemeal pita bread" she continued pushing it towards him. Tony looked at the small package as if it was an unexploded bomb and gingerly pushed it back towards Abby.

"Thanks Abby but I like real food, not fake rabbit food" Tony informed her loftily.

"You mean swimming in grease and a death toll of at least three cows" Liz called out as she hung up the phone, grinning at Abby as she passed her and headed towards Gibbs.

"And your not much better" Liz informed Gibbs as she reached him.

"Keep me out of it" Gibbs growled his eyes narrowed in warning, which Liz decided to ignore. Gibbs admired the way that Liz was rarely intimated by him, and would often challenge him in small ways. She seemed to enjoy pushing him to see how far she could go, and Gibbs enjoyed letting her. They both knew that when push came to shove she would respect his authority and position as team leader and would back him all the way. But at times like these it was fun to spar with her.

She grinned as she leant her hip on his desk, one of the few people who would dare do that, Abby being another. Liz handed him a sheet of paper with her notes from the telephone conversation on it. She watched as he took it, moving the paper away from him, and then closer to him again as he tried to read it.

"Your hand writing it atrocious" Gibbs growled at her, as he tried to read what she had written.

"Nope it's your eyesight" Liz retorted, reaching over him and opening his desk drawer to pull out a small leather case. She popped the clip and watched as it sprang up to reveal a stylish pair of silver glasses. Liz smiled as she handed them to her boss and then moved out of his reach as he growled under his breath as he snatched the offending item off her. Gibbs slapped the glasses on his nose with enough force to make Liz wince.

Gibbs scanned her notes and then looked up at her, taking the glasses off and slamming them on the desk, secretly hoping that they would break.

"This is a closed case" he told her, his eyes flicking back to the paper.

"Yes it is." She answered "But I had a call from the guy convicted of the murder and decided to do some digging, I think its worth us taking another look at it" she told him calmly, noting that the others were listening to the conversation. Gibbs stared at Liz for a long hard moment then nodded.

"Ok" was all he said as he stood up, handing her the paper back. "Look into it and give me a full report by the end of the day" he told her as he grabbed his coat from the hook behind him.

"I'm going for coffee" he informed no one in particular. "You coming?" he asked Abby as he drew level with her, noting the way her eyes followed him.

"You bet boss man" she told him sliding from Tony's desk and linking her arm into Gibbs's "Cos your buying" the others heard float back to them as they watched Abby and Gibbs walk away, all still slightly shocked that Gibbs and Abby were actually together.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs stood in the queue next to Abby and absently listened to her chattering away, his eyes watching a man in the corner arguing with a petite red headed woman. He stiffened slightly as the man leant over the woman, his hand raised slightly as if to hit her. Gibbs watched as the woman flinched away from the dark haired man but otherwise stood quietly as he railed at her.

Abby felt Gibbs stiffen beside her and turned to see what was wrong, she followed his eye line and saw the couple arguing in the corner. She felt her own anger mount at the way the man was acting and gently let go of Gibbs's arm, knowing that if things went to far he would intervene. It was one of the things that she loved so much about him, his sense of right and wrong and his willingness to act on it. She watched as the woman turned to walk away but the man grabbed her arm roughly causing her to crash into the table beside them. No sooner had Abby registered this fact than Gibbs had moved and was standing between the fallen woman and the man.

"Everything ok ma'am?" he asked quietly, his body turned towards the man in preparation for anything that came at him.

"None of your damn business" the man snarled at Gibbs, trying to step around him and grab the woman "She's my damn wife and she's coming with me" he continued angrily pushing at Gibbs.

Gibbs levelled a cold hard stare that had the man stepping back slightly.

"I didn't ask you" he warned quietly, his voice hard and vicious. He turned slightly to look at the woman, who had pushed herself away from the table, and was standing shaking slightly "Do you need help?" he asked her softly, his voice taking on a gentler, more reassuring tone as he addressed the obviously frightened woman.

"Yes" she whispered stepping closer to Gibbs "He's my ex husband" she whispered, pressing herself closer to Gibbs, causing the silently watching Abby to narrow her eyes slightly before she crossed over to the trio. Gibbs sensed Abby next to him, and reached out gently to push the woman towards Abby, who automatically stepped forward and took her arm.

"Come with me" Abby whispered, pulling her away from Gibbs and her ex husband.

Gibbs turned his full attention to the man before him, knowing that the woman was in safe hands with Abby.

"I suggest you leave now" Gibbs warned the man, his voice quiet and calm and all the more deadly for it.

"Go to hell" was the response as the man tried to step around Gibbs and grab his wife as Abby led her away. "And take your freak bitch with you" the man snarled. At that comment Gibbs stepped forward on light feet, grapping the man by the shoulder and levering him around, his fist rising and connecting with force to the man's face. Gibbs watched as the man's eyes widened in surprise before he crumpled to the ground. Gibbs stepped forward and peered at him for a moment before taking out his phone

"This is NCIS Special Agent Gibbs, we need an ambulance and police" he informed the operator calmly as he bent down to check the man on the floor for weapons and ID.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs finished talking to the police and silently crossed the now deserted coffee shop to stand beside Abby and the woman who he now knew was called Rose Stellar. He smiled gently at Abby before crouching down in front of the softly crying woman.

"You need to make a statement" he told her gently, nodding his head to the young police officer standing a few yards away.

Rose nodded shakily and smiled at Gibbs, her hand reaching out and taking hold of his.

"Thank you" she said with a soft smile her eyes wide and weepy. "I can't tell you what it means to me that you came to my help" she continued leaning forward slightly, her breast skimming Gibbs's arm.

Gibbs shifted slightly and looked up at Abby who was staring at him, her eyes flashing a warning. Gibbs stood up and smiled down at the woman.

"Your welcome" he said, motioning with his head to the young officer who quickly stepped forward. "Officer Phillips will take your statement and see you home" Gibbs said as he motioned to Abby, his hand reaching out and taking her arm gently to steer her out of the coffee shop.

Abby and Gibbs walked back to the NCIS building in silence, Gibbs grinned slightly as they walked feeling Abby suppressing what ever it was she wanted to say. Gibbs thought that if she didn't talk soon she was going to literally explode, with that in mind in he gently pulled her into a door way and turned to face her.

"Spill it" he told her with a soft smile, his hand reaching out to push a stray tendril of hair behind her ear, his thumb gently caressing her cheek as his hand moved away.

"She was making cow eyes at you" Abby rushed out, indignant and amused at the same time. Not sure she liked the fact that some other woman would make eyes at her Gibbs.

"So?" Gibbs queried softly, enjoying this new side to Abby.

"So? So?" Abby asked indignantly before she suddenly sagged against the wall "I am such a fruit" She muttered more to herself than to him, knowing that she was over reacting.

Gibbs smiled as he pulled her into his arms, his mouth gently caressing hers, his arm pulling her closer to him. As his lips parted from hers, he smiled down at her as she laid her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat under her ear.

"Yes you are, but I'd have to say your more of a nut than a fruit" he told her brushing a kiss across her hair. Andmoving away from her before she could hit him for the comment, his hand reached out and grabed her hand pulling her along with him as he began to walk back to the NCIS building.

"Back to work Abs" he informed her; the tenderness they had just shared quickly replaced by Gibbs the boss. Abby watched him for a moment always amazed at how quickly he could transform from her Gibbs to her boss.

Abby jumped in step beside him, smartly saluting him

"Yes sir!" she smart mouthed him, enjoying the way his eyes flashed with laughter, even though his face remained impassive.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Abby stood in her lab and looked around the room, her brow creased into a frown as she caught sight of her reflection in the glass door. _What was the matter with her?_ She wondered to herself angrily. It wasn't like her to feel so out of sorts, but it felt as if she didn't fit into her own skin today and she just couldn't figure out what was causing it.

Abby spun round and headed to her computer, she had samples to process and reports to type up for his lord and master she thought crossly as she sat at her chair in front of her computer station.

"Lord and Master?" she spoke to herself out loud, wondering why she had suddenly thought of Gibbs like that, it wasn't as if he had done anything to upset her. Not unless you counted cosying up with the limp carrot top yesterday she thought angrily. Abby paused in mid action as she reached for the keyboard. Was that it? Was it the red head? Abby spun her chair round in a circle, leaning back and enjoying the ride. How cool was that? She thought in excitement, for the first time ever she was jealous of someone, she was jealous of the woman making eyes at her Gibbs. Abby closed her eyes and spun her chair until it reached a dizzying speed and laughed out loud at the idea that she was jealous.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs walked into Abby's lab to find her spinning in her chair with her eyes closed and laugher escaping uncontrollably from her mouth. Gibbs grinned at the opportunity it presented him with. He walked quietly, his shoes making no noise on the floor. He timed his steps so that he arrived at her chair as she spun away from him. His hands quickly reached out and stopped the chair with a suddenness that had Abby screeching in alarm as the momentum of the spin caused her body to shoot out of the chair, and straight into Gibbs's waiting arms.

"Hey!" Abby cried out as she regained her breath "you scared me!" she told Gibbs sternly, her eyes belying her tone as they twinkled with laughter.

"Nothing scares you" Gibbs murmured, moving his arm around Abby slightly and gently lowering her back into her seat.

"Things do" Abby retorted, spinning her chair again just to annoy Gibbs, watching under her lashes as his lips pursed slightly before his foot came up and halted the chair again. Gibbs raised his eyebrows in disbelief at her comment but otherwise ignored it.

"What has you so happy anyway?" he asked, continuing before she had chance to answer "perhaps the fact that you have no work to do?" he demanded.

Abby stood up, and skipped away to her CD player to change the disc.

"Nope, I have plenty to do thank you, because I have a total slave driver for a boss" she threw at him over her shoulder "But I had an epiphany and was enjoying it, thank you for asking" she told him with a grin as she hit the play button and music came crashing out of the speakers, causing Gibbs to wince as he crossed to stand next to her, his hand reaching out and hitting the off button.

"Gibbs!" Abby cried, reaching over to turn it back on, but finding Gibbs's hand locked over the controls. Abby glared at him, her tongue shooting out before she crossed back to her chair, spinning it gently as she sat down, halting it as it came back round to face Gibbs.

"Do you want to here about my revelation?" Abby asked in excitement. Gibbs crossed over to Abby and stood looking down at her.

"No. But I do want do know what revelation you had on the sample Liz gave you." He informed Abby, his face a blank mask.

Abby narrowed her eyes at Gibbs for a moment before she pushed her chair away from the computer station and over to a print out on the table behind her.

"You are so not fun" she muttered at him as she handed over the sheet of paper. "It wasn't a match with the perp or the victim" she told him, her demeanour once more taking on her usual excitement that she had for everything she did. Abby pushed her chair down to the far end of the table, nearly running Gibbs over in the process. When she reached her destination she reachedout and pulled over the large evidence bag that held a heavy brass fire poker in it. "Whoever the victim hit it wasn't the guy serving life in Leavenworth" Abby told Gibbs solemnly. "I checked the sample against CODIS but nothing came up" Abby told Gibbs, jumping up to stand next to him. "Looks like Liz was right" Abby said as she stared down at the bag in her hands. Gibbs stared at Abby and the bag for a moment.

"Perhaps" was all he said before turning around and leaving the room, the print out in his hands.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs returned upstairs and threw the printout onto Liz's desk as he passed it, heading towards his own.

"Full run down" he demanded as he sat at his own desk, his eyes impaling Liz as she scanned what Abby had given them. He noticed the small smile that Liz hid quickly and narrowed his eyes slightly at her reaction.

Liz bent over her computer screen and turned her head slightly as the large plasma screen above Gibbs sprang to life with a split screen image. Satisfied that the presentation she had compiled earlier was ready she crossed to stand beside Gibbs's desk, the screen remote control in her hand.

Tony turned his chair to face the screen and got himself comfortable with his feet on the edge of his desk, however as he turned to view the images on the screen he caught the scowl Gibbs was directing at him and quickly sat upright. McGee stood and crossed to stand beside Liz, so as to get a good view of the screen.

"Probie shift your big head" Tony called out, annoyed that the younger agent was blocking his view. Before McGee had chance to react though Gibbs stood and glared at DiNozzo.

"How about you shift you butt instead?" Gibbs asked Tony. He watched as Tony opened his mouth to argue but on catching sight of Gibbs's face shut it quickly, making himself look like a fish floundering out of water. Gibbs sat down and turned his chair to face the screen so that none of the other agents could see his grin.

Liz waited for Tony before starting, watching silently as he sauntered up to stand the other side of her and lean against Gibbs's computer screen.

"This had better be good" he muttered to Liz as he waited for her to begin.

"Shut up DiNozzo or go home" Gibbs growled without turning around, feeling rather than seeing Tony straighten up and glare at the other two agents as if it was all their fault.

Liz levelled a calm look at Tony and then began to speak.

"This is Henry Walker, 15 years ago he was a lieutenant stationed at Norfolk. The woman is Claire Holt also a lieutenant at Norfolk. Henry was accused and convicted of her murder. At the time the murder took place the pair had been dating for 6 months, according to her friends though she wanted to end it but Walker was taking it badly." Liz halted as a new image appeared on the screen, this time of Clair Holt lying on a bed, blood covering her and the walls and furniture, it was obvious form the scene that a vicious struggle had ensued before her death. A large metal object was clutched in her hand.

"Walker was found at the scene, covered in her blood. His prints were also found on the murder weapon." Liz pressed the button on the control and the image zoomed into the metal object in her hand; the poker that Abby had in the lab.

"This poker was found in her hands, the blood found on it was found to match that of Walker, analysis at the time showed that it was the same blood type as Walker, O negative. Walker also had a fresh cut to his forehead, which he claimed he had received earlier that evening when he tripped up a flight of concrete stairs." As she said that she hit the button and an image of Walkers head appeared depicting the cut.

Liz continued "It was supposed at the trial that Walker and Holt argued about the break up, at which point Walker became so enraged he took grabbed a kitchen knife, followed her into the bedroom and proceeded to attack her. She used the poker from her fireplace in the bedroom to fight him off, landing a blow to his head. Walker was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life."

Liz switched of the screen and returned briefly to her desk to retrieve the paper from report from Abby, passing it first to Tony, who scanned it and passed it to McGee.

"I had a call from Walker two days ago, asking me to look into his conviction, certain that DNA evidence would clear him." Liz paused and took the report back from McGee. "And it appears it does" she concluded.

Gibbs turned to look at Liz for a moment but said nothing.

"So who does the blood belong to?" Tony wondered aloud.

"That's what you're going to find out" Gibbs retorted standing up and levelling a look at Liz "Before we jump to any conclusions" he added on for her benefit, noting the two spots of colour that appeared on her cheeks.

"What are you going to do boss?" Tony asked heading back to his desk after grapping the folder of the case from Liz's desk, grinning at her scowl.

"Going for coffee" was Gibbs's reply as he walked away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs waited impatiently in the queue annoyed at the slowness of the counter staff today; his mind mulling over the information that Liz had given him in the presentation and in her written report. On the face of it she was right, it did appear as if Walker might be innocent, it was certainly clear from the DNA evidence that Holt had used the poker to strike someone else with. And yet Gibbs had this gut feeling that there was more to the case then met the eye. The question was what?

Gibbs didn't notice the woman sitting in the corner stand up and cross towards him, until she was along side him.

"Agent Gibbs?" Rose Stellar queried timidly as she placed a hand on his arm "I thought it was you" she continued smiling up at him. Gibbs looked down at the woman and smiled slightly at her.

"Ms Stella" Gibbs returned politely, wishing the counter staff would hurry up so that he could get his coffee, Abby's Caf Pow and get back to work.

"Could I buy you a coffee Agent Gibbs?" Rose asked softly, motioning to the counter

"That's not necessary" Gibbs replied, his mind wanting to return to the case, annoyed at the interruption.

"Please, as a thank you" Rose continued "it's the least I could do" she said as they finally reached the counter and the front of the queue.

Gibbs looked at the counter with a small degree of longing and briefly nodded, before giving his order to the young woman waiting to serve him. He listened absently as Rose ordered a tall skinny latte and had to stop himself from shuddering in distaste at her choice in coffee.

Gibbs waited as the coffees were poured and then he carried them both over to a free table at the front of the coffee shop. He waited as Rose sat down before taking his own seat.

"Oh dear I forgot to get a sweetener" Rose murmured making a move to rise, but Gibbs waved her down.

"How many?" he asked as he stood again, wishing he had refused her offer.

"Just the one please, I prefer my coffee sweet but I need to watch my figure" Rose said carefully smoothing her already perfect and revealing blouse.

Gibbs just nodded and left to get a sweeter and spoon, leaving Rose at the table with the coffee's.

When Gibbs returned Rose smiled at him and pushed his coffee towards him with a smile.

"I know you must be a busy man but I really did want to thank you for what you did yesterday" she said smiling at Gibbs. "I have been having problems with Dave for a long time now" she told him with a sad smile "But yesterday was the worst" she finished. Gibbs nodded and took a swallow of his coffee.

"Did you make a statement?" Gibbs asked always the investigator.

"Yes, and I am taking out a restraining order on him" Rose informed Gibbs watching as he took another drink of coffee, a smile on her face.

"Good" Gibbs said, looking over at the queue, noticing that it was empty and wondering if he could make a quick goodbye, get Abby her Caf Pow and himself another coffee before the queue returned.

He turned back to Rose to see her look at her watch and frown.

"Oh my, I must get back to the office" she muttered, looking up at Gibbs "I'm so sorry to cut this short but I didn't realise the time" she told him standing and getting her back and coat.

"That's fine" Gibbs replied trying to hide his relief, finishing his coffee and standing too, waiting politely as Rose, gathered the two cups up and took them over to the counter.

"Again thank you, Agent Gibbs" Rose said, taking his arm and standing on tip toe to kiss his cheek, before hurrying from the coffee shop.

Gibbs stood there for a moment bemused by the whole experience before shrugging it off and heading to the counter for more coffee and a Caf Pow, relieved that finally he could get back to work.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gibbs laid his head against the cool wood under his hands and waited for the pain to ease. He felt beads of perspiration break out on his forehead and shakily wiped them away. Slowly the pain passed and he stood shaking slightly in the aftermath of it.

Gibbs had started to feel unwell during the day, at first it had just been a burning sensation in his throat and a mild stomach pain but as the day had turned to evening he had begun to feel worse, but this was by far the worst he had felt.

Gibbs lowered himself to the floor as he felt bile rise in his mouth, and the pain begin again. He grasped his stomach and bent over trying to lessen the pain, but nothing seemed to work. He desperately prayed that he didn't vomit, he couldn't remember the last time he had but he was sure he didn't want to try it out now.

"Damn it to hell" he muttered as the pain passed, relief flashing though his system that he hadn't thrown up the contents of his stomach.

Slowly and painfully he pulled himself up and made his way slowly to the stairs leading to his kitchen, praying he would make it up them.

Eventually a sweating and panting Gibbs emerged into the bright light of his kitchen and made his way over to the sink to pour a glass of water.

He sipped carefully at the contents before once more moving away, this time heading for the hallway and the stairs that would take him to his bathroom and medicine cabinet.

He cursed the fact that he lived in a house and not an apartment, hating just how long it took him to navigate the stairs, and how weak he felt.

After what felt like a life time he pulled open his cabinet and scanned the contents finally settling on a bottle of Alka Seltzer. He dropped two tablets in his glass of water and waited for the fizzing to stop before drinking the foul tasting liquid. As the liquid hit his stomach he gasped in pain, the glass falling from his hand and smashing on the floor. He bent over and grasped his stomach breathing rapidly and trying to hold back the contents of his stomach by sheer force of will. Slowly he fell to the floor, dropping first to his knees and then curling on his side on the floor, his knees bent tight into his abdomen, his hands grasped around him. Gibbs prayed for either relief or death, at that moment not caring which so long as the pain stopped.

He had no idea how long he lay there but slowly that pain subsided and the grip on his stomach lessened.

Gibbs felt the sweat that had beaded on his head and body begin to cool, causing him to break our in uncontrollable shivers. With more effort than he could believe, he slowly crawled the few feet to his bedroom, levering himself up with the last of his energy onto his large bed. There he fell in a heap, his clothes soaked with perspiration until finally blessed relief came in the form of unconsciousness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby came out of the club, her arm around her friend Christy, a petite blonde with her hair streaked with green and blue and more rings in her ears than appeared possible. The sound of the music from the club still ringing in her ears Abby laughed at something her friend had said.

"So babe, when is the great god Gibbs going to come party with us?" Christy asked for about the tenth time, as they walked back to Abby's car.

"This year, next year, sometime never" Abby chanted happily. To anyone passing by Abby would have appeared to be drunk, and yet she had not had a single drink as it was here turn to be designated driver. The only thing she was drunk on was fun, friendship and great music.

"There is no way in this lifetime I would get Gibbs here" Abby laughed "but that's cool, cos there is no way I would go listen to any band he likes!" she informed her friend with a laugh.

"So what is so great about him then Ab?" The tall and slightly geeky Keats asked from behind Abby and Christy, his arm around his wife Zulu who was a striking vision in red chiffon and black leather.

"Everything" Abby laughed as she unlocked her car, climbing in with her friends preparing to drop them all off before she herself headed home.

The car ride was a combination of interrogation and advice from her friends, which Abby took good naturedly, enjoying their friendship and the fact that they cared enough to worry. After Abby had dropped all her friends off at home, she turned her car towards her own apartment. Soon changing her mind as she saw the turning for Gibbs's part of town, Abby smiled to herself as she patted her pocket making sure she had the spare key to Gibbs's house. Smiling as she remembered him giving it to her.

She had been out with her friends as she usually did at least once a week and had decided to visit Gibbs at 2 am, for about the forth time. Waking him up in the process, when they had gotten up the next morning he had handed her the small silver key and the code to his alarm and told her not to wake him next time.

She had waggled her eyebrows at him and asked him if he was sure he didn't want her to wake him. Gibbs had given her one of his long cool looks before winking at her. Abby grinned as she thought about just how she would wake him when she got to his house, Abby felt her foot press down slightly on the gas pedal in her haste to get to him.

Soon Abby was pulling up outside his house, frowning as she saw the lights blazing in it. Abby checked the clock on her dash board and frowned again, before a grin broke out. Perhaps he had decided to wait up for her, figuring that she would stop by after her night out. She quickly got out of the car and headed up his porch steps. She opened the door and headed to the alarm just in case he had set it, but the lights were green, indicating that it wasn't set. She skipped into the living room,

"Hi Honey, I'm home!" she called out with a laugh as she went. But she found no sign of him. She poked her head into the kitchen and noticed the light to his basement was still on. She grinned to herself as she tiptoed down the basement stairs fully expecting to find him asleep in his boat. But when she got there she frowned in concern. The room was empty, his tools left out, and sawdust strewn on the floor where he had been working. Abby stood looking around for a moment, concern rising in her stomach. Gibbs never left his tools out; he was almost fanatical about taking care of them and putting them away, unless he fell asleep whilst using them. Abby turned and flew up the stairs, fear beginning to grip her.

"Gibbs?" Abby called out as she reached the kitchen, her eyes scanning for signs of him, she raced into the living room, pushing open the door to his study come den. But again there was no sign of him. She raced over to the stairs and pounded up them, her heart pounding as she called his name again, fear strangling her as she got no reply. Gibbs was a light sleeper, if he was here and unhurt he would have answered or come running, gun drawn thinking she was under attack.

Abby flew into his bedroom, skidding to a halt as fear pounded in her veins at the sight of him lying in a heap on the bed. Her mind noted that there was no blood but it did little to alleviate the terror gripping her. She moved slowly to the bed, terrified that she would touch his cold lifeless body.

"Gibbs?" she called quietly before suddenly propelling herself at the bed, her hand reaching out to try and find a pulse, relief coursing through her when she felt his chest rise and fall in steady breaths. She sat beside him, concern replacing the absolute terror of before. She noted the pale clammy skin, the damp sweat staining his t-shirt.

"Gibbs?" She called as she tried to roll him over, trying to get a better look at him. His reply was a deep groan of pain. "Gibbs" She called with more force, "come on Gibbs wake up" she demanded. She was rewarded with another groan and a fluttering of his eyes. Abby stroked his damp hair away from his face, and peered at him for a moment before reaching for the bedside table.

She punched in a number she knew by heart and waited impatiently for the sleepy response on the other end.

"Ducky? You need to come fast, Gibbs is really, really ill" She said quietly, fear evident in her voice as her hand stroked Gibbs's face gently, a single tear falling unheeded from her eyes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby lay on the bed next to Gibbs, a cold cloth pressed to his head, her hand constantly touching him, talking to him. She prayed Ducky would get here soon, Gibbs had briefly opened his eyes, and the sight of the bloodshot pain filled blue eyes had Abby nearly crying out in physical pain. He had grasped her hand and held it tightly since then.

"Abby" she heard him groan and whisper at the same time.

"I'm here Jethro" she whispered back, brushing a kiss on his lips, tasting the salt of his sweat. Not realising that it was the first time she had called him by name.

"I'm ok" she heard him whisper "just stomach flu" she heard him try to reassure her, always the protector, the capable ex marine.

"Yeah sure you are boss man" Abby retorted gently "and tomorrow I'm coming to work in a Channel power suit" Abby teased him, pleased to see a small smile reach his lips if not his eyes.

Gibbs shifted slightly, his hand still grasping hers tightly, pulling her with him. Abby settled herself into the curve of his body, listening to the beat of his heart, reassured by the steady and strong beat under her ear.

She looked at the clock beside his bed and wished Ducky would get here soon and tell her Gibbs would be just fine.

No sooner had she thought that than she heard the door knocker downstairs being beaten rapidly. Abby pushed herself away from Gibbs, having to pull her hand from his with some force.

"That's Ducky" she told him bending to brush a quick kiss on his mouth before crossing the room to go downstairs and let him in.

"Abs" Gibbs called out as she reached the door, Abby turned to look at him a question in her face.

"Thank you" he said softly his eyes closing at the energy it had taken him to speak.

Abby looked at him for a moment then nodded, knowing what that had taken him, not just in strength but personally, knowing that it was the closer she would ever get to an admission that he was really ill.

Abby sprinted down the stairs and let a worried and harried looking Ducky in.

Sometime later Ducky gratefully accepted the tea that Abby offered him, the normally impeccably dressed ME was looking very ruffled and scruffy. He was wearing the crumpled clothes he had worn earlier at work, the buttons done up haphazardly, a shadow marking his weathered face and his normally smooth hair ruffled and un-brushed.

"Thank you my dear Abigail" he told her gratefully before taking a sip of the warm brew. "Jethro is sleeping at the moment" he told her, his eyes taking in the pallor to her normally pale skin. "But he will be fine in a day or two" he told her, his hand reaching out across the table and taking her cold hand in his warmer one.

"What is it?" Abby asked, her normally vivacious face drawn and tired.

"I think just a bad case of stomach flu" Ducky said running a hand through his hair. "I wanted him to go to hospital for a full check up, but Jethro is nothing if not stubborn" he said with a gentle smile. He noticed the flash of concern in Abby's eyes at the word hospital and patted her hand. "Just as a precaution my dear, to get some blood samples to rule out food poisoning. But Jethro was adamant he was feeling better." He continued with a rueful laugh. "He reminds me of a patient I had in Jakarta" Ducky started, famous for his ability to spin a simple explanation into a trip down memory lane. "But that is perhaps for another time" he told her softly, standing and crossing to Abby. "I think that perhaps it would be wise for you to go and get some sleep as well" he informed her gently as he pulled Abby to her feet. "I don't think Gibbs will be an easy patient, and you my dear will need your strength" he warned her with a soft smile that did nothing to hide his own concern. Abby smiled and threw her arms around the older man

"I love you Ducks" Abby said as she hugged him tightly. Ducky patted her back gently, his arms a soothing and comforting place for Abby, her presence equally soothing for him.

"I know my dear, just as I do you" Ducky said softly a sparkle in his eyes "But it never hurts an old man to hear a beautiful young woman say it" he told her with a smile, gently pulling her away from him.

"Now go upstairs and go to sleep" he warned her sternly "I will lock up after me" he said as he gently pushed her towards the door way, watching as she left. His eyes dropping to the floor, the look of worry returning as he turned to wash up their cups. Ducky had never seen Gibbs this ill before; in fact he couldn't remember having ever seen Gibbs ill at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Abby awoke to the sound of the shower running and the space beside her empty. She sat up in bed, realising for the first time that she was still fully dressed. She jumped off the bed and headed for the bathroom to find Gibbs emerging from the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist, beads of water trickling down his chest, to disappear into the towel hanging low on his hips.

"What are you doing?" she demanded her eyes staring at him in disbelief.

"Getting ready for work" Gibbs replied, grapping another towel and rubbing his hair vigorously "And so should you unless you want to be late" he warned her as he emerged from the towel, to find Abby still staring at him in shock. He smiled gently as he stared at her in the mirror, turning to get his razor down from the cabinet.

"I'm fine Abs" he told her softly, his eyes meeting hers. Abby just continued to stare at him in disbelief, he had been at deaths door last night and this morning he was going to work as if nothing had happened.

**_Stupid you. Well you no_. **she signed at him angrily in ASL, words failing her.

Gibbs watched her in the mirror, the shaving foam not masking his smile. He turned and pulled her gently into his arms.

"I have been called stupid before, and no doubt will again but I feel fine Abby and am going into work" he said as he brushed a foamy kiss on her lips, before turning and pointing her at the shower.

"Now I suggest you get showered, and changed so that we can get to work" he told her firmly, turning back to the mirror and shaving his face.

"You are so not well, and you are so stupid" Abby muttered as she began to undress, her movements rapid and filled with anger, knowing that Gibbs wouldn't back down and take time off. "And I so can't wait till Ducky has a piece of your butt for coming in today" she told him firmly, her clothes getting tossed in a heap on the floor before she stepped into the shower. Not noticing the way Gibbs's eyes followed her actions.

As she turned the shower on full she heard Gibbs laugh

"Now I'm terrified" he teased at the idea of Ducky chewing his butt out. Abby grabbed the bar of soap and threw it out of the shower at him, satisfied at the sound of it hitting his skin. Before slamming the shower door shut again before he could return the favour.

Gibbs stared at the shower door, a grin on his lips as he finished shaving. Perhaps she needed a demonstration that he was fine he thought with a wicked glint in his eyes, as he headed for the shower stall and Abby.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs sat at his desk and hated the fact that he still felt so weak, he read the report that Liz had given him on the progress she had made so far on the Walker case. He had decided to let her and Tony run with it on their own. Ostensibly the reason was that he wanted to see how they were working together now and just how good an investigator Liz was when not under his supervision. But the real reason was that he really didn't feel well, but under no circumstances was he going to admit that to anyone. Gibbs nearly groaned as he caught sight of Abby approaching. She had found more excuses to come up and see him than he thought existed. On the one hand he loved the fact that she cared enough to worry, but on the other hand it wasn't something Gibbs was used to or even enjoyed. He was someone who could count on one hand the amount of times he had been ill, if you didn't include gun shots or injuries in the line of duty. And he hated being a patient…of any kind.

"Abby" Gibbs greeted coolly, hoping she would get the message from his tone of voice and leave him alone, but Abby just smiled at him and walked past him to perch on McGee's desk. Gibbs couldn't stop himself from turning his chair and watching her, unsure why he suddenly felt this overwhelming desire to smash McGee's head to a pulp. Hadn't he just been wishing Abby would leave him alone? He wondered angrily to himself, his blue eyes glaring at the world. Gibbs stood and grabbed his coat and gun and stormed out.

"Going for coffee" floating over his shoulder as he headed for the stairs instead of the elevator.

Abby watched Gibbs leave and smiled at McGee, before bouncing off his desk to sit in the chair Gibbs had vacated.

"He will kill you one of these days" Tim warned his former girlfriend and now one of his closest friends. "You really are playing with fire, when you do this to him" he told her sternly, knowing that she had only come to him so that she could check up on Gibbs without having to talk to him, Abby having confided in the rest of the team that Gibbs was ill, but swearing them all to secrecy; on pain of her setting them up on a blind date with one of her many unusual friends.

Abby grinned at him, her eyes staring at the space Gibbs had just vacated.

"Yeah but what a great way to go" she said nodding sagely "Death by Gibbs" she laughed "Sweet" she said, laughing out loud again at the look of dismay on McGee's face.

"There was to much visual effect in that statement Abby" McGee groaned "That's Gibbs you're drooling about" he said with a shudder. Abby laughed as she stood and began to walk away

"I did more than drool with Gibbs this morning" she tossed over her shoulder, smiling at Tony and winking at Liz as she passed them, laughing harder at the groans from Tony and McGee at her comment.

Sometimes she thought it was just so much fun to work here.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs made his way to the coffee house slowly, the momentum that had carried him down the stairs had left him and he suddenly felt very old and tired. His mind mulled over his reaction to Abby and McGee and he felt his anger boil over, not directed at them but at himself. He had never felt like this over anyone before and he decided he was too old to be feeling it now. But if he was honest with himself he knew that there was little he could do to stop it. He knew he loved Abby and that frightened him. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that he was in love or the fact that he was in love with Abby that terrified him more, but he knew that it scared him more than staring down the barrel of a gun.

Gibbs reached his favourite coffee shop, or coffee dealer as Kate had once referred to it. He entered and after ordering his drink he looked around him to try and find a table, not feeling up to the walk back straight away. It wasn't often Gibbs drank his coffee here, hating the way if felt all cosy and domestic. But today he needed to sit down for a little while, andtypically there were no empty tables. Resigning himself to having to stand at the central pillar designed specifically for that purpose, he noticed Rose Stellar waving him over and pointing to a space at her tiny table and an empty chair a few tables over. Gibbs debated pretending not having seen her but knew that he needed to sit down for a few minutes, so he crossed over to her table and smiled down at her.

"Hello Ms Stellar" he greeted politely "May I join you?" he queried, wishing it was anyone but her.

"Of course Agent Gibbs, put your drink down and grab that chair over there" she told him, motioning to the one empty chair in the room, parked at a table with two young mothers andthree screaming kids. Gibbs smiled at Rose as he deposited his cup of coffee at the table before crossing over to get the chair.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby made her way down to the morgue and Ducky. She entered to find him and Jimmy Palmer his assistant, bent over a body about to conduct an autopsy.

"Hey Duck" she called our crossing over to the pair, "Hi Jimmy" she said as she neared the young man, her heart feeling for him as she watched the blush creep up his cheeks. She had known for ages that he had a crush on her, and whilst she thought he was a really sweet guy she felt nothing for him but friendship. Her heart truly belonged to Gibbs.

"Hi u Abby, um how are you?" Jimmy stammered at her causing Ducky to look up at his assistant and frown.

"When you are quite finished fawning over young Abigail, might I suggest you pass me the cutters?" he demanded of the young man, shooting Abby a wink as Jimmy hurried to do as he was told.

Ducky smiled at Abby as she pulled herself onto the autopsy table next to the one he was working on, her legs swinging like a school girls. Ducky looked at Abby for a moment and then turned to his assistant.

"Perhaps you would like to take your lunch now?" Ducky suggested to the young man staring dreamily at Abby.

"Um well I thought I was helping you Dr Mallard" Jimmy stammered out, his face confused. Ducky peered at Jimmy over his protective glasses, his glare telling Jimmy to act now.

"Um yes certainly Dr Mallard" Jimmy said as he hastily backed away from the table, heading for his jacket hanging in the corner.

"Goodbye Dr Mallard, Abby" Jimmy called out forlornly

"Bye Jimmy" Abby called back as she jumped down from the table to pace nervously. Ducky watched her for a moment, before pulling off his glasses.

"So my dear what can I do for you?" he asked softly

"Well my darling" Abby teased back "You can make Gibbs go home" she said a grin on her face at the impossible thing she had asked him to do.

"And you believe that I can work miracles, why?" he queried with a laugh.

"Because you're the man from duck" Abby grinned back wishing she knew why she had come down to see Ducky, just knowing that something didn't feel right at the moment, but unable to put her finger on it, just feeling as if something was terribly wrong.

Abby crossed over to Ducky and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before leaving the room, leaving a very bemused and slightly troubled Ducky standing watching her retreating figure.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Gibbs walked back to the NCIS building, feeling weaker than he had earlier. He slowed his pace down but could feel the sweat trickling down his back at the effort it was taking him just to stay on his feet.

Gibbs groaned as he pictured the looks on Abby and Ducky's face when they saw him like this. He felt his stomach begin to spasm and a burning sensation start in his throat. Perhaps he should have stayed at home he thought sourly, wishing that this wasn't happening.

Gibbs passed a small communal garden with a little wooden bench and decided to sit down for a few moments, in the hope that this would pass quickly. As he lowered himself to it he felt the phone in his pocket begin to vibrate moments before it rang. With a groan he reached inside and with gritted teeth flipped it open.

"Gibbs" he growled into the phone, trying to prevent himself from retching.

"Hello my friend" he heard the cultured and accented voice of Ari Haswari. Kate's murderer and an Al Queda double agent, working for MOSAD.

"Ari" Gibbs said, his tone making the name more of an insult than a greeting.

"How are you Agent Gibbs?" Ari queried politely as if they were life long friends.

"I'll be fine when you're dead" Gibbs growled, the pain in his stomach intensifying. But Gibbs refused to let Ari know there was any kind of a problem and used every ounce of self control he had to keep his tone even.

"That may be sooner than you think" Ari murmured as if to himself. Gibbs sat up straighter for a moment forgetting the pain in his stomach.

"Why?" he demanded. Gibbs had had the opportunity to kill Ari a few months ago but had let him live, knowing that he was in the unique position of having infiltrated the higher legions of the Al Queda terror cells in the USA. Something that few others could even dream of doing, let alone actually achieve. Through Ari kidnapping Abby he had led them to a terror cell that had planned to blow up a shopping mall in downtown DC, with enough explosives to have killed hundreds. Although Gibbs didn't like Ari's methods he had to admit that sadly someone like Ari was needed in the war against terrorism.

"I believe that they may have found out who I am" Ari said carefully, his tone betraying no fear or despair just the cold hard truth. "But that isn't why I called" Ari continued as if nothing was wrong. "I called to warn you that they are going to take you out my friend" He said as if he had just told Gibbs that they were throwing him a party. "Be on your guard" Ari said before the dial tone rang in Gibbs's ear.

Gibbs stared at the phone for a long moment before slowly replacing it in his pocket, the pain in his stomach forgotten for the moment. Why had Ari warned him? Gibbs had no doubts that if it served Ari's purpose then he would happily kill Gibbs and anyone else that might stand in his way. Gibbs stared into the distance, seeing nothing as his mind replayed what Ari had told him.

Gibbs felt his stomach revolt as he stood but ignored it as best as he could, praying that it would go away. If what he thought was true he was going to need all his wits about him.

Gibbs pulled his phone out of his pocket again and hit speed dial, he waited for impatientely as the phone rang, and then a voice answered.

"Fornell. Ari has been made" he said calmly, no sense of urgency or emotion displayed in his tone.

"Good" Fornell replied, not bothering to hide his distaste over the double agent. "Let the bastard rot" he continued before sighing deeply. "How do you know?" Fornell asked as he managed to get his personal feelings under control.

"Because he told me" Gibbs replied calmly before hanging up and rushing for the waste bin in the corner of the park, the contents of his stomach hitting the trash in the bottom of it.

Gibbs retched into the bin before wiping his mouth with a tissue in his pocket, his body shaking and weak as he made his way over to the bench again. His hand shaking as he reached once more for his phone.

"Ducky" he croaked as his friend answered his phone in the morgue. The voice on the other end sending a shiver of relief through his pain racked body. Gibbs just prayed Ducky made it to him before the blackness pulled him down into unconsciousness.

-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jules Therese stood across the street and watched Gibbs silently, a small smile on her lips as she watched his obvious pain. Time for it to end she thought to herself, as she moved down the street slightly before crossing the street and heading back towards the park.

She wondered who he had called as he sat clutching his stomach on the bench, from what she knew he wasn't the type to ask for help. Not unless he was dying she thought with an evil smile. But then he was she laughed to herself, he just didn't know it yet. But he would soon she thought as she walked along side the park, schooling her features into the rather vapid expression of Rose Stellar.

Jules pulled out her mobile phone and began to text a message, making it look as if she was engrossed in what she was doing; she waited until she had passed the park entrance before looking up and catching sight of Gibbs on the bench. She did a double take and then hurried back to the park entrance.

"Agent Gibbs?" she called out her voice tinged with just the right amount of shock and concern at seeing the virile agent pale and shaking on the park bench.

"Agent Gibbs, are you ok?" she asked as she bent down to peer at him with wide concerned eyes. "Do you need a doctor?" Rose queried as she sat down next to Gibbs.

"Ms Stellar" Gibbs groaned, his stomach heaving. "I'll be fine in a moment" he croaked after he dry retched once more, the pain in his stomach intensifying, causing him to black out for a second.

"You're anything but ok" Rose demanded, "I'm calling for an ambulance" she said as she reached for her purse and the phone she had tucked inside it.

Gibbs reached out and stilled her hand, hating just how much effort it took to do that simple act, and how much his hand shook.

"No, a friend is coming, he's a doctor" Gibbs groaned and gasped at the same time, as pain washed over his body once more.

Rose looked indecisively at his hand and her handbag before she nodded.

"Ok, but have a sip of water" she said as she pulled a bottle of water from her purse, unscrewing the cap and handing it to Gibbs.

Gibbs reached out shakily, wanting the cool liquid, wanting to get rid of the taste of his own vomit, but also terrified that the liquid would intensify the pain in his stomach or worse cause him to vomit again. He stared at the cool clear water before nodding his head and taking a small sip, pleased that his stomach seemed to tolerate it. With that thought and with the taste of his own sick lessening he took another sip of the water, before handing the bottle back to Rose.

"Thank you" he croaked, laying his head back against the bench, wishing that it was Abby sitting next to him, wanting and needing the strength she exuded.

"Are you sure your friend is coming?" Rose asked in concern, her eyes searching the road outside the park.

"Yes, be here soon" Gibbs groaned, lurching off the bench and only just making it in time to the trash can again. Rose stood up and followed him, handing him a tissue as the vomiting stopped, before helping him back to the bench. Rose pressed the bottle of water into Gibbs's hand, encouraging him to take another sip of water from it.

"Have a sip to take the taste away" she told him soothingly, hoping he would take it before his friend arrived. Pleased when a shaking hand raised the bottle to his lips and sipped the clear water inside it. Rose nodded in satisfaction, as if pleased that she was helping him.When the truth was she knew the amount of arsenic in the bottle would soon begin to work as it melded with that already in his system. Rose took the bottle back after Gibbs finished drinking and slipped it into her coat pocket, out of sight of whoever Gibbs had called. No sooner had she done this than she heard the pounding footsteps of someone running. She and Gibbs both looked up at the same time to see a breathless Ducky rush into the park.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby sat in her lab, peering down the high resolution microscope. Ducky had sent up a sample of blood for her to analyse, the computer had thrown up an abnormal reading so she had decided to take a look at the blood the old fashioned way. Her hand reached for the phone and she hit the speed dial for the morgue without even looking up. She listened to the ringing as she continued to analyse the sample, her phone set automatically to speaker phone.

"Morgue, Jimmy Palmer speaking" she heard come hesitantly from the phone, smiling at poor Jimmy. He always seemed to be waiting for the worst to happen, you could hear it in his voice all the while.

"Hi Jimmy, is my darling Ducky there" she asked teasingly, picturing the blush springing up on Jimmy's face as she used the flowery endearment.

"Um no Abby he had a call from Special Agent Gibbs and almost ran out of here" Jimmy told her softly, his tone confused at Ducky's actions.

"Damn him" Abby muttered as she hit the disconnect button, her finger hitting the button for Gibbs's phone almost in the same heartbeat.

She listened as it rang, her heart leaping into her mouth when he didn't answer.

"I am so going to kill you if you're dead" she muttered to the absent Gibbs. Fear coursing through her veins as the feeling of foreboding that had plagued her all day intensified.

Abby flew over to her computer screen and quickly pulled up the application that would allow her to track Gibbs down through his cell phone.

She tapped her fingers impatiently as she waited for it to lock onto his signal and triangulate his location. She jumped up and headed out the door at a run, not bothering to turn the application off or to put the blood sample back. Abby knew that something was wrong, she had known it all day but now the fear seemed to have a basis in reality.

Abby ran out of the building, not feeling the chill in the air and raced down the street. Heads turned as she passed by, some in admiration some in concern, wondering if the police would be hot on the heels of the Goth running down the street.Sure that someone who looked like her must have just mugged a little old lady.

Abby saw none of it, all she saw was Gibbs lying on the bed last night, pale and shaking looking as if he was about to die at any moment. An image superimposed itself over that and her feet flew faster down the street.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Liz sat at her desk and mulled over the information they had gathered so far. It certainly appeared as if Walker wasn't guilty of the crime he had been convicted of. She looked over the top of her computer at DiNozzo busily playing a computer game whilst Gibbs was absent.

"Hey Tony, what's the procedure for getting Walker a new trial or his conviction quashed" Liz asked him.

"Take it over to JAG and get them to re-open the case." Tony replied without looking up from his alien annihilation. "Why, you think Walker is going to walk?" he queried looking up briefly.

"Looks like it to me" she said as she stood up and crossed to Tony's desk, watching him play his game for a moment. She grinned, a glint of mischief in her eyes as her hand shot out and snatched the control away from him.

"HEY!" Tony said trying to wrestle it back from her, but Liz moved too fast, dodging out of his way, but managing to keep the monitor in view at all times, as she manipulated the game controller.

"Let me play or I tell Gibbs" she said as she wiped out an alien. "Gotcha" she muttered as she went after another one. Tony stopped trying to wrestle the control away from her and watched her fly along the game.

"Watch out for the one behind the door" he muttered, impressed with the way she was handling the game.

"Got him" Liz muttered, sitting herself on Tony's desk without missing a beat.

"Not bad, for a girl" Tony said trying not to sound impressed with her.

"Shut up" Liz said good naturedly, at his sexist comment not rising to the bait.

"There's an acid pool coming up, you have to jump it to get…" Tony started to say only to shut up when Liz swung her leg out, stopping a fraction of an inch from his crotch.

"Shut up and let me play DiNozzo" she muttered "Girls play Alien Annihilator too" she warned him. "Just tell me if the boss walks in" she warned him with a glare "Or next time my foot doesn't stop" she finished with a pointed look down. Grinning as Tony shot his chair back so that her foot was out of reach.

"You don't play fair" Tony muttered at Liz, refusing to let her know that he enjoyed the sparring with her.

"Nope I play to win, just like most girls" she said as she killed two aliens in a row.

McGee watched the two silently, enjoying the by play between them. He sat back in his chair for a moment, his eyes flicking over to Liz's desk, as he remembered Kate for a moment.

Liz was nothing like Kate, although Kate had always given as good as she got it was always in a very feminine way, with feminine ideas behind it. But Liz was more like one of the guys, she really didn't care if Tony made a sexist remark, she just came back with a smart reply but never took offence. In some ways it made Tony's comments meaningless, the point for Tony had been to get a rise out of Kate, something he rarely managed to do with Liz.

McGee looked at the two of them and grinned, neither of them was paying attention to the entrance, if Gibbs walked in now he really would kill them both. At that thought McGee looked at his watch and frowned, it had been nearly an hour since Gibbs had left and he still hadn't returned.

"Where is Gibbs?" McGee called out to the other two just in case he had been in touch and no one had told him.

"Gone for coffee, Probie" Tony called back, his tone sarcastic "or were you asleep when he said where he was going?" he continued. McGee sighed and wished the grieving Tony would return for a day, so that he could have some relief.

"Yeah but that was nearly an hour ago" McGee replied back.

"Maybe he went to see Abby" Liz called out, "have you checked with her?" McGee could have slapped himself, glad it had been Liz who had sated the obvious and not Tony.

McGee reached for his phone and dialled Abby's lab, but after letting it ring for some time, he hung up with a frown. He reached for the phone again and dialled the morgue, knowing that Abby was often there with Ducky.

McGee spoke briefly with Jimmy for a moment before hanging up the phone, genuine concern on his face.

"Guys I think there might be a problem" he said as he crossed to stand in front of Tony's desk.

"Why? You lost your dummy again probie?" Tony asked, not looking up from the screen.

"Tony" Liz said in warning.

"No, both Ducky and Abby have taken off after Gibbs though" he said, noticing that that got their attention.

Liz stared at McGee, the control in her hand forgotten in her concern over what he had just said. Tony stood slowly, his eyes scanning Gibbs's desk as if he would suddenly materialise there.

"Where did they go McGee?" Tony asked quietly, remembering Abby's face that morning as she had told them just how worried she had been last night.

"Jimmy doesn't know, Ducky got a call from Gibbs about 20 minutes ago and rushed out, then Abby phoned about 10 minutes later and hung up on him. Jimmy tried to call her back but got no reply, so he assumed she went after Ducky and Gibbs.

"Why the hell didn't that idiot Palmer call us?" Tony railed at McGee, his worry making his tone harsh.

"Don't know Tony" McGee said quietly, letting the other agent vent on him, knowing that Tony didn't handle things like this too well since Kate's death.

Liz watched the two for a moment before speaking.

"How would Abby know where Gibbs is if Jimmy didn't tell her?" she queried knowing the answer, but trying to get them both to focus on something other than their fears.

Tony and McGee looked at her for a moment

"Cell phone GPS" they both declared simultaneously, heading for the stairs at a run.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ducky felt his heart stop at the sight of Gibbs sitting on the bench, a petite red head all but holding him upright.

"Are you his Doctor friend?" the woman asked Ducky, her tone full of concern. Ducky just nodded as he knelt in front of his friend.

"Jethro? Can you hear me?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm and professional. Ducky watched as Gibbs slowly raised pain filled eyes at him, Ducky noted with clinical detachment the confusion swimming in them.

"Ducky" Gibbs whispered, unable to manage more he closed his eyes again. Ducky watched as Gibbs bent forward clutching his stomach, his knees rising slightly in the automatic position of acute stomach pain sufferers everywhere.

Ducky reached over and felt Gibbs's forehead, but there was no sign of a fever, just cold and clammy skin soaked with perspiration.

With more strength than he seemed to posses, Ducky picked his friend up and laid him down gently on the grass, watching as Gibbs curled into the foetal position trying to stem his pain. Ducky quickly stripped his jacket off and bunched it up into a ball, placing it softly beneath Gibbs's head. As he bent over the agent, he caught a face full of Gibbs's breath, reeling back from the strong smell of Garlic emanating from it. Ducky rocked back on his heels for a moment, before turning to the woman who had been with Gibbs. But she was nowhere to be seen, he scanned the area for a moment to be sure, but whoever she was, she had gone.

"Bloody hell" the normally mild mannered ME cursed, knowing that Gibbs needed to get to hospital now, cursing himself for not having a cell phone.

"Gibbs!" he heard from behind him, relief coursing through him as Abby appeared, her face draining of blood as she saw Gibbs lying on the floor, in desperate agony.

"Abigail phone for an ambulance right now." Ducky commanded, not giving her a chance for fear to set in.

He heard her fumbling in her pocket for her cell phone, before he turned his attention back to Gibbs.

"Jethro" he said, his voice commanding attention. He watched at Gibbs slowly opened his eyes and peered at him through his obvious pain.

"Have you had garlic today?" he queried, as he picked up Gibbs's wrist and checked the strength of his pulse, his concern mounting at the irregular beat. He watched carefully as Gibbs struggled to make sense of the question, his mind obviously struggling with it.

"Garlic?" Gibbs queried in confusion, not sure at the moment what garlic even was.

"Yes garlic, have you had anything with garlic today?" Ducky asked calmly, hearing in the background Abby talking to the emergency operator.

"No Garlic" Gibbs groaned, pulling away from Ducky and trying to crawl to the trash can, but unable to even get up of the ground. Ducky quickly pulled his friend into a sitting position, pushing his head slightly forward and away from his body as once more Gibbs vomited. Ducky held Gibbs tightly, feeling the strength of the spasm as it reverberated through Gibbs's body. He watched as the vomit hit the floor, analysing the contents, which was now mostly bile, tinged with red.

Ducky tried to maintain professional distance but found he was unable to, as he stared at the blood in the vomit.

He watched as Abby came and supported the other side of Gibbs, her hand rubbing soothing circles along her lover's back.

He met Abby's eyes and tried to hide his concern from her, but he knew he couldn't, and so he just stared at the woman who loved his best friend, and prayed.

"They won't be long" he heard Abby murmur, not sure if it was to him or Gibbs.

Ducky looked over at her and saw what it was that drew Gibbs to this remarkable young woman. He saw her strength and her love in that brief moment, and he knew that if for no other reason than for her, Gibbs would fight this. Ducky just wasn't sure if he would win.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Ducky looked up as he heard the sound of sirens and smiled half heartedly at Abby.

"They are here my dear" he said gently, trying to reassure the young woman. "I will just go and direct them" he told her as he reached over the prone and unconscious Gibbs to squeeze her hand in a simple act of comfort.

Abby nodded, trying to keep her tears and fears at bay.

"We'll be ok" she whispered not sure if she was trying to reassure herself or Ducky. It had seemed like an eternity since she had called for help but it had only been ten minutes. In the time since she had called them Gibbs had slipped into unconsciousness, his body becoming limp and unresponsive. She and Ducky had kept a silent and fearful watch over Gibbs, unable to do more to help the man they both loved.

Abby sat and stroked Gibbs's sweat soaked hair from his head, and bent low over him before he was whisked away from her.

"I love you Jethro" she whispered against his skin "Don't die" she pleaded, her voice cracking on the last word. Not knowing what else to do or say, Abby clutched his hand and slowly moved his fingers into the ASL sign for I love you, linking her hand with his in mimicry of the sign. Abby looked up as two men in blue arrived with a pale Ducky. Abby slowly moved aside to let them work, her hand lingering before she finally let go of Gibbs. She took hope though from the fact that his limp hand remained in the sign she had made.

Abby watched in silence as the men worked on Gibbs, checking his vital signs and administering intravenous fluids. Ducky worked silently with the medics, talking in hushed tones that Abby struggled to catch. She hugged herself silently, cold gripping her body as if the temperature had dropped ten degrees. She watched as Gibbs, silent and unmoving was lifted onto a gurney, tubes and monitors attached to his body. Abby felt her tears fall, and wiped at them angrily. No way was she going to cry as if he were dead, she thought to herself angrily. Gibbs was going to be just fine, because he was her marine boss man and he was invincible. Abby just wished that it was true, but she knew in her heart that whilst he was amazing he was still just a man, a man desperately ill.

Abby watched silently as Ducky bent over Gibbs and seemed to stroke his hair back, before the medics began to wheel him away towards the waiting ambulance. Abby made to follow them but Ducky touched her arm to halt her.

"Abigail" he started hesitantly, his soft eyes troubled as he stared at her.

"I'm going with him Ducky" Abby said, thinking that he was trying to stop here from travelling to the hospital with Gibbs.

"You can't Abigail" Ducky said softly, his hand holding her arm firmly.

"I'm going Duck" Abby told him firmly, trying to shake his hand off her arm, shocked that he would try to stop her.

"I need you to do something far more important for Jethro" Ducky told her, his eyes showing how much it was hurting him to have to ask her. Abby started at him, her eyes swimming in unshed tears.

"No Ducky" she whispered, "I need to be with him" she said, knowing now what he had been doing.

"You need to help him" Ducky told her as he pulled her gently into his arms, knowing that what he was asking was unfair, but also knowing that it could save Gibbs's life.

"You need to analyse these for me" he said as he moved back and pulled out a vial of blood and a tissue in which lay several of Gibbs's hairs.

Abby looked at them silently, hating what they represented, knowing that they would keep her away from Gibbs.

Slowly and with shaking hands Abby reached out and took the vial and tissue, her head nodding slightly, as the tears she had been battling slowly began to fall.

Ducky pulled her closely into his arms and hugged Abby tightly

"I will look after him for you" he whispered, his own voice breaking slightly on the words.

Abby nodded and pulled away, her gaze turning to the ambulance, to watch the still silent Gibbs being loaded into the back of the vehicle.

"You'd better go" she whispered unable to say more, as her heart tore out of her chest and choked her.

"Abigail" Ducky started, not sure what he wanted to say, just wanting to reassure her in some way, needing to take her pain away somehow.

Abby silently shook her head, her dark eyes lost and so young and yet at the same time so incredibly old and knowing.

"It's ok" she whispered, her voice hoarse and tiny, as she stood there clasping the samples to her. "I know" she told Ducky, a shaky smile of understanding trying to reach her lips.

Abby watched as Ducky ran over to the waiting ambulance, disappearing into the interior. Abby watched, silent tears fell down her cheeks as the doors closed and the vehicle moved off, sirens blaring.

Abby whispered his name to the wind, taking strength as it gathered around her as his arms often had in the darkness of the night.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A breathless and emotionally exhausted Abby reached her lab, not noticing the trio of people gathered around her computer station.

"Abby!" Liz called out, the first one to notice the pale lab rat enter the room. Abby looked up startled at her name being called, her footsteps halting but the momentum of her steps carrying her motion forward so that Abby stumbled. Tony reacted first and reached out a steadying hand to his friend and co-worker.

"Abby?" he asked in concern noticing the mascara tracks on her checks, the unusually pale pallor of her skin, and the dreadful haunted look in her eyes. "Is Gibbs..?" he began to ask, unable to continue the thought let alone the words.

"On his way to hospital" Abby whispered her voice horse from the tears she had struggled to control. "I have to…" she started to say, her words fading to nothing as she looked at the samples still clutched in her hand. She looked up at Tony, her eyes showing clearly her fears. She said nothing more as she stepped around Tony and headed to the equipment she needed. The professional in Abby took over, and she worked automatically trying desperately to shut out the fact that it was Gibbs's Blood she was holding, his hair she was splicing.

The others just stood there for a while watching her work, noticing the slight tremble in her hands, the way her shoulders were hunched over. But what they all noticed the most was the lack of energy from the normally lively and vivacious woman. The silence in the normally loud and bouncing lab was more deafening than any of her music could ever hope to be.

Liz looked at Tony, her eyes questioning him silently but Tony just shrugged, not sure what to do anymore than she did.

McGee stood slightly apart as he always did and watched his former girlfriend struggle with her fears, and without conscious thought he moved forward and gently pulled her into his arms.

"He'll be ok Abby" he whispered to the still woman in his arms, knowing just how much Abby loved Gibbs. He watched as she slowly raised her eyes to look at him, the look in them devastating him.

"He…" she started to say, the normally talkative Abby unable to articulate her fears, afraid that if she did, that if she re-lived them then her worst fears would be realised. "He wasn't moving" she finally whispered, a single tear rolling down her face, falling unheeded on to her top.

Abby pulled out of McGee's arms, feeling as if she was betraying Gibbs by allowing McGee to hold her, knowing that it was stupid but unable to stop her emotions. She turned back to the machine, watching it as if it would work faster if she just willed it to.

Some time later, a silent group all jumped at the sound of a persistent beep. Abby looked up from the chair she sat huddled on and all but flew across the room. She hadn't spoken a word to anyone since she had last spoken to McGee. They had all watched as she had huddled herself into a small ball on her chair, her arms wrapping tightly around her legs, her head resting on her upturned knees.

Abby read the results, her body stilling in fear as she read them.

"Damn it to hell" she muttered as she rushed to the phone, knowing that Ducky needed the information now, or Gibbs wouldn't live to see tomorrow.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Ari stood in the darkness and stared out of the window at the city below him and cursed the man who haunted him. Perhaps it would be better if he were dead, he thought bitterly to himself, knowing that in truth it wouldn't.

Before he had met Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs he had known just what his mission was. There had been no doubts in his mind about his actions and the necessity of them. But know when he was alone and silent the doubts crept in, worming their way into his mind and soul and undermining who and what he was.

Ari Haswari was in no doubt of what he was, he was a killer, a trained murdered and that had always been fine with him. It was what he had been bred for. But since meeting Gibbs he had seen an alternative, one that he had always believed was unattainable for him, but one that suddenly he yearned for. To fight openly for the cause he truly believed in. And he hated Gibbs for it.

He turned as he heard the door open silently, his senses attuned to everything around him, just as they had been for as long as he could remember.

"Well?" he asked the woman standing framed in the light spilling from the hallway.

"I believe it will be successful" Jules Therese answered, as she closed the door and walked towards Ari, her hips swaying seductively, nothing of Rose Stellar in her manner anymore.

"You believe?" Ari queried, his voice dropping to a caress, his soft accent casting a deceptive warmth to his words.

"He called his friend Ducky" she said as she sidled up to Ari, her arms brushing around his neck. "But I doubt they will be able to save him" she murmured as she stood on tip toe, whispering the last into his ear. Ari pulled her tightly to him, his arm snaking around her neck, before gripping it harshly as he forced her head back so that she stared up at him. The passion in her eyes turned to a fiery hatred as he stared down at her.

"You will pay dearly if you have failed me" he warned her, his tone still that of a lover, his eyes a deep dark pool that was unreadable.

"What? Like you have failed three times?" she spat at him, pulling free from his grasp and moving away to glare at him in defiance. "Isn't that why they brought me in?" she taunted "because you failed?"

Ari watched her calmly, his eyes amused at the petite spitfire before him, for a moment a brunette flashed before his eyes but he squashed her image quickly.

"Tread carefully, my love" he warned tenderly "I wont hesitate to kill you if you have failed in this" he turned to the drink on the table and sipped the whiskey, before turning to face the red head. "You were sent because I wanted you" he said, his eyes drifting down to her breasts, his meaning obvious.

"Go to hell" Jules spat at him, before turning and leaving the room.

Ari turned back to the window and stared once more at the city below him.

"I already am" he said to the empty room, as he downed the last of the fiery alcohol in one swallow. Once more cursing Gibbs and wishing him dead, whilst also praying that Jules had indeed failed in her task.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby sat in the waiting room staring out of the window as she tried to count the stars and listen to the Doctor explain to them all what was happening to Gibbs.

"It appears Agent Gibbs has been exposed to acute levels of arsenic, most likely through ingestion. He has already had charcoal therapy, to try and absorb any remaining poison in his stomach." He looked over at the silent Abby, knowing that she was listening, "thanks to Miss Sciuto's analysis we have been able to act quickly and hopefully limit the damage the arsenic does to his body. However from Agent Gibbs's symptoms and the levels in his hair sample, it is very clear that the initial poisoning began sometime yesterday." The Doctor paused and looked at the others around him, "The Arsenic levels are high and so we are treating him aggressively, with Dimercaprol as the chelation therapy and we will also be starting haemodialysis very soon"

"Hemo-what?" Tony asked, his face showing just how confused he was at the medical term. Ducky smiled slightly at the Doctor before interpreting the medical jargon.

"A process where Jethro's blood is filtered to remove the arsenic from it" Ducky explained to them all.

"So what is this chelation thing then?" Tony asked trying to fully understand what was happening to his friend and boss.

"Chelation is where a chemical such as Dimercaprol is injected into the blood to bind the arsenic to it, preventing it from doing further damage and allowing the body to expel it." Abby answered softly, not looking at them, but continuing to stare out of the window at the stars.

Everyone turned to look at Abby, hoping that she would join them, but she remained where she was. Alone.

"I am afraid that Jethro is in a critical condition" Ducky said, his eyes watching Abby carefully, noting in concern the way she had flinched at his words. "All we can do is wait now" he concluded sadly, looking older than his years.

"Yeah wait and see if he develops cardiac failure, or kidney failure or liver failure" Abby said bitterly, "or just wait and see if he dies" She said, her voice becoming angry. Everyone looked at her in shock, Abby was normally positive and upbeat, and she always found a reason to hope for the best. It really wasn't like Abby to be this bitter, but then it wasn't often the man you loved was deliberately poisoned.

"Or we can wait for Gibbs to recover" Liz said softly, crossing the room to Abby, gently placing her arm around her shoulders. "And perhaps it would be best if you wait with him" she continued turning to look at the doctor in question, and warning.

"Well, I don't …" he began, about to refuse permission.

"…see what harm it could do" Ducky overrode him, his eyes warning the doctor to stay silent. The Doctor swallowed nervously before nodding his permission. He had heard about Dr Mallard, and knew that that he was a friend of just about every senior medical person you cared to mention. Including his own boss.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ari sat on his sleek black motorbike and watched as Liz, McGee and Ducky left the hospital, heading for their car, obviously returning to the NCIS building. He watched as the car drove past him, taking little notice of him.

When they were out of sight he slowly raised his visor and looked up at the hospital, his eyes scanning the windows as if he could tell which one was Gibbs in just by looking.

Suddenly he snapped his visor back down and revved the bike to life, speeding down the road with a roar.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby sat next to Gibbs and watched as the IV bottle dripped into his arm, replacing fluids and electrolytes that he had lost. She turned her head slightly and watched as the machine slowly filtered Gibbs's blood a few drops at a time, extracting the deadly arsenic from his system.

She lay her head down on the bed next to his hand and listened to the sound of the machines working for him and monitoring him.

Abby had never felt so helpless in her life all she wanted was for her Gibbs to wake up and tell her to get to work. But she knew that he wasn't going to, and although she and the hospital were hopeful that he would survive the poisoning there was still the very real fear that it would have damaged his body beyond repair. Or worse still damaged his incredible mind. And so Abby sat next to him and waited.

Sometime later Abby walked out of Gibbs's room and crossed to where Tony was sitting in the corridor. They were taking no chances until they knew who had done this and why, and so Tony, Liz or McGee would stay on guard with Gibbs at all times. Tony had sat inside the room with Abby for awhile but had left to give her some privacy with Gibbs. Abby had smiled at him, joking that she had always wanted to jump an unconscious man in a hospital bed. Tony had laughed and told her he would expect nothing less from her. It was at times like this, she thought, that you realise just how close you are to your friends. And often in the stupid things that are said to relieve tension, things that are only really understood by those who love you.

"I'm going back to the lab" Abby said softly as she stood looking down at Tony. She watched as he straightened up, his eyes shooting to the now closed door to Gibbs's room.

"Why Abby?" he asked in confusion, shocked that she would consider leaving Gibbs for a moment, having been gearing himself to go in there and force her to go and get something to eat.

"Because there is nothing I can do here, but I can help him at the lab" Abby said softly, her eyes tired and sad.

Tony stood up and gently pulled her into his arms for a hug.

"It's what he would tell you to do anyway" He said softly into her hair, knowing what it was costing her to leave, but also knowing that she was right.

"Yeah" she whispered, hugging Tony back "and this way he can't dock my wages" she laughed sadly, referring to the standing joke that Gibbs was a slave driver to them all.

With that Abby slowly stepped away from Tony and nodded towards the door.

"Keep him safe" she said, trying not to cry "Or I will be forced to tell that blonde I saw you with that you kiss guys" she teased him, with her first real grin for awhile.

"Once, and in the line of duty" Tony retorted in mock anger, knowing that he would never be allowed to forget the case where the woman he had kissed had in fact been a man. "And her name is Rochelle" he muttered a slight grin on his face at the image of her.

"Jail bait more like" Abby retorted, slipping back into her normal self for a moment, before turning to stare at the closed door. Tony reached over and touched her arm.

"He'll be ok" he said softly, showing the rare softer side of himself. "He loves you too much not to fight" he finished gently, before reaching out for the door handle to Gibbs's room and entering without another word. Abby watched the closed door for a moment before nodding and turning to leave.

Tony stood in the silent hospital room and looked at his boss.

"Don't make a liar out of me boss" he murmured before pulling a chair close to the bed and sitting down to keep vigil at the side of the man who was more than his boss, the man who was the father he wished he had had.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Abby sat at her desk and stared at the results; she crossed over to the other side of the room and turned down her CD player. Slowly she picked up her phone, checking her watch as she did so, silently working out the time difference as she waited for the call to connect.

She heard the male voice answer with a distracted air and wondered what he was doing.

"Hey gruesome" she said softly, waiting as the often distracted mind of Gil Grissom processed who was calling him.

"Abby" she heard him say, his tone changing to what passed as pleased for him.

She heard the pause on his end of the line before he spoke again.

"Are you ok?" he asked, his tone telling her he had noticed something was the matter. It was the small things that made Gil a fantastic CSI, things like recognising tone inflections in people.

"No" Abby said softly "But I will be" she added on, knowing that he was to far away in Vegas to be worrying about her. "I need a favour" she said coming to the point of her call, in an unusually fast manner for Abby.

"Ok" Gil responded instantly, fewer words were his style as opposed to Abby's verbal diarrhoea. "If I can" he added on with his usual reserve and innate carefulness.

"If I send you some samples, can you get your lab to double check them for me?" She asked as her eyes drifted down to stare at the slide that held a sample of Gibbs's blood.

Abby could almost picture Gil sitting at his desk at CSI Las Vegas; she found herself smiling slightly as she saw him sitting at his desk with a slightly troubled expression on his face, his eyes narrowed and his head tilted slightly.

"Ok, but first you tell me why" Gil asked gently.

Abby hung up the phone, and knew that she had done the right thing in calling Grissom. When they caught whoever had done this to Gibbs she wanted to make damn sure that they wouldn't be able to use her relationship as a technicality. And Gil was the best. She had attended a guest lecture he presented whilst she was in college, and they had found a mutual admiration for each other that had remained to this day.

Abby stood up and stretched out her muscles, almost touching the floor behind her in her stretch, then deciding impishly to go all the way and turned the stretch into a back limber and handstand. As Abby came upright she turned and stared about her, wondering whether to call it quits for awhile, and head out to the hospital to see Gibbs. But as she did so her eye caught sight of an empty Caf Pow cup in the corner of the lab. Slowly Abby approached it. Her mind racing ahead of her she quickly spun on her heel and headed for her computer station instead.

Her hands flew over her keys as she pulled up a computer programme that she had used a few times before. She paused for a few seconds, conjuring up in her mind an image of a redhead, and then quickly she manipulated keys and mouse to produce an image of the woman from the coffee shop. After about 20 minutes of tweaking and manipulating it she sat back and stared at a good likeness of Rose Stellar. With a surety and strength of conviction Abby hit the print key and waited while the printer churned out a paper copy of the woman she knew had poisoned Gibbs. Know all they had to do was find her and prove it, she thought with satisfaction. Never doubting that they would, that Rose Stellar would pay for what she had done to Gibbs.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby ran out of the elevator at a dead run, nearly crashing into the group of people waiting to board it.

"Sorry" she threw over her shoulder as she carried on at full speed to the area that Gibbs and his team inhabited. She skidded to a halt as she reached Liz's desk, not registering the two people standing in front of it.

"This is her, this is the carrot that poisoned Gibbs" she blurted out, thrusting the sheet of paper in her hand out to Liz. Unable to stand still, Abby hopped from foot to foot, not taking any notice of anything around her.

"This is the woman that Gibbs and I helped the other day, and I knew then that there was something totally hinky about her. Just knew it" she added on more to herself than to anyone else.

"Gibbs told me that she bought him a coffee yesterday, and I just bet that the red headed witch poisoned him." She continued, pacing to Tony's empty desk and back before finally noticing the two men standing at Liz's desk. Abby halted in mid stride, her feet planted at odd angles but managing to stay upright, before standing almost to attention.

"Director Morrow" she said with a big grin, unperturbed by his frown. "I know it's her" she added on, nodding at the paper Liz handed over to him. Morrow took the sheet and stared at it, not saying anything as he handed it to FBI special agent Fornell.

"Julie Writer" Fornell said quietly handing back the sheet to Abby "FBI agent working undercover, she's one of the good guys" he said with concern in his eyes for Abby.

Abby stared at the image of the woman she knew as Rose Stellar, then back at the trio before her.

"No she isn't" she said softly, with conviction "She poisoned Gibbs" she said her eyes flashing her anger.

"Do you have any proof?" Morrow asked Abby, his tone rich and smooth as he frowned at Abby. He was aware of the relationship between Gibbs and this young woman, had even asked Gibbs if it was a wise course of action. But Gibbs's reaction and answer had made him decide to turn a blind eye to it, now he wondered if he had done the right thing.

"No but I will" Abby said, her chin lifting slightly in defiance. Her black eye lined eyes showing her determination and conviction as Morrow stared at her, assessing her.

"You have 24 hours" Morrow said, his tone brooking no argument.

"She's FBI" Fornell said, his tone indicating that he thought this was a stupid idea. "You're just wasting your time" he said as he turned to Abby, his eyes taking in everyone else as well.

"My time to waste" Abby snapped back, not willing to back down, a slight grin creeping up her face "And it will give me loads of cool experience in case I want to join the FBI" she told him, her meaning clear that she thought he FBI wasted a lot of time. Morrow struggled to keep the grin of his face as he turned to leave, snapping out "24 hours" as he went, his grin finally breaking out when he had his back to them all. He now knew what Gibbs saw in the strange woman, he thought to himself chuckling slightly under his breath.

Fornell stared coldly at Abby for a moment before turning pointedly to Liz

"I came to offer the services of the FBI, but if you want to waste your time on a dead end, then you don't need my help. Call me in 24 hours" he said as he turned to leave, shooting Abby another cold look.

"You have spent too much time with Gibbs Miss Sciuto" he told Abby angrily.

Abby just grinned at him and took a bow.

"Why thank you for such a cool compliment" she informed his sweetly, her grin growing as he marched away from her.

Abby turned to Liz, her face suddenly very serious.

"So where do we start Boss lady" she said with a serious face, her tone however showing that she was in for this ride all the way, and would enjoy proving them all wrong. "Let's get the carrot FBI poison lady."

Liz stared at her in silence, not sure if she agreed with this course of action. She sighed as she stared at the photo before her, deciding to trust Abby's instincts, at least for now.

"Let's go get a cup of coffee." She said, wishing that they hadn't just alienated Fornell, knowing that their job had just got harder because of it.

- - - -- - -- - - -- - - - -- - - - -- - - -- -- - - - -- - - - - - - -

Fornell stormed out of the NCIS building, his anger fuelling his steps as he made his way to his FBI issue dark blue sedan.

"Trust Gibbs to pick her" he muttered to himself as he slammed his key ring out of his pocket, before hitting the unlock button with enough force to hurt his own hand.

He opened the driver's door and slid behind the wheel. Fornell sat there staring out of the window for a few moments before starting the car and heading out of the underground garage.

He drove with more speed than was perhaps necessary, heading across town and cursing Gibbs and his team as he drove.

Fornell finally arrived at his destination surprised that he was already there, most of the journey having passed in a blur of anger.

Fornell got out his car and made his way into the building and heading towards the elevators. He made his way to the floor he wanted without stopping to talk to anyone, concentrating only on his reason for being there.

"Fornell" Tony greeted as he looked up from his position outside of Gibbs's room. He had been unable to stay in there just watching his friend lie there silent and unmoving. It had been somehow unnerving and creepy to watch Gibbs sleep, almost as if he was a peeping tom of some kind. And so Tony had opted for maintaining his watch from outside just popping in for a few minutes every so often. Ostensibly to make sure that all was secure, but in truth because he wanted to make sure Gibbs was still breathing.

"DiNozzo" Fornell greeted, his anger having dissipated somewhat now that he was at the hospital. "Can I go in?" he queried not because he wanted Tony's permission but because he didn't want to walk in with a nurse and a needle. Fornell refused to admit to anyone that he was terrified of needles.

Tony stared at Fornell for a moment, wanting to refuse him permission but knowing that Gibbs would want to visit Fornell if the tables were turned.

"Yeah, but if anything happens to him, I know where to find you" he couldn't help needling the FBI agent.

"Funny" Fornell muttered as he stepped past Tony and entered the room.

Fornell entered the room and paused inside the doorway, checking the room out before turning his attention to the man in the bed. It was a well appointed room he noted, wasted on Gibbs he thought somewhat snidely. But what caught and held his attention most was just how much equipment was in it. This was a room designed for someone in a critical condition he thought sadly. Slowly and with more strength then he would of thought he needed he turned and looked at his nemesis and friend.

"Jesus" he whispered in silent prayer and curse at the sight of the normally commanding and intimidating Gibbs. He took in the pallor and sunken quality to his skin, and the tubes and wires attached to various parts of his body.

He hesitantly stepped forward to get a closer look at Gibbs, his breath sucking in at the fear that closer inspection brought. Fornell stood staring for what seemed like an age, his heart racing in fear and mounting anger. This was Gibbs lying in this bed, and someone had deliberately but him there.

Fornell could accept a bullet wound, or an injury obtained in the line of duty, but this had been poison. To him it was the action of a coward, someone not willing to take on Gibbs fairly. It was the action of someone who had to sneak around and not give the man a fighting chance. Fornell felt his anger increase exponentially at whoever had done this to his friend.

Without a word Fornell spun on his heel and left the room, anger once more fuelling his actions as he re-traced his steps.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Liz approached the counter in Gibbs's favourite coffee house and flashed her badge at the young boy serving behind it. He looked at her nervously, a wobbly smile trying to give the impression that nothing was wrong. Liz smiled and wondered how much pot he had stashed in his locker out back.

"Hi, I need some information about a customer a few hours ago" she told him softly, noticing out of the corner of her eye the way Abby was fiddling with the sachets of sugar, arranging them into a neat line.

Liz pulled out a picture of Gibbs, and handed it to the slightly relieved kid.

"Yeah man, the grumpy old dude, comes in at least 5 times a day" the kid replied handing the photo back. Liz reached out a calming hand to Abby, as she saw the younger woman bristle at Gibbs being called a grumpy old dude.

"Can you tell me if he was with anyone today, or spoke to anyone at all?" Liz questioned him.

The kid looked down and to the right, obviously recalling a memory.

"Yeah he did, I remember cos it was like so totally weird for him" the kid replied, absently wiping down the counter in front of him, relaxing more now that he knew the cops weren't after him. Liz waited for him to continue, but he just kept wiping the counter.

"And?" Abby asked him impatiently, her dark eyes impaling him with an almost Gibbs like stare.

"Hey are you a cop too?" the kid asked looking Abby up and down in admiration of her outfit "Cos that rocks if you are" he complimented her.

"Forensic analyst" Abby corrected absently "Who did Gibbs talk to?" she prompted the kid.

"Oh yeah the old dude" the kid said getting his mind back on track, and missing the narrow eyed glare Abby aimed at him.

"Yeah he was with that red head from the other day, the one who got bashed around by her old man" the kid told her happily. "So you like cut up dead people and stuff?" he asked Abby changing the subject. Normally Abby would have loved to have got into a discussion on what her job entailed but today the only thing that interested her was finding out who did this to Gibbs, and why.

"No, I shot things and nuke things and cut them up" she growled at him, her voice dropping to a husky angry growl "I only cut people up when they totally tick me off" she warned him.

"Right, cool" the kid replied wide eyed, his head nodding like a toy dogs.

Liz pulled Abby back slightly, having visions of her leaping over the counter in a moment to beat the kid to death with his wet dish cloth.

"Thanks for your help" Liz told him, manoeuvring Abby around to the doorway.

"No problem" the kid said cheerfully "Hey tell the dude he left his cup behind" The kid added on absently, once more wiping the counter. Abby and Liz both froze mid step, swivelling around as one to peer at the boy.

"What cup?" Abby asked softly as she stepped closer to the counter once more, her head tilting to one side, her pig tails giving her a puppy look.

"He bought a stay warm cup the other day, and left it here when he left earlier on" the kid told her. Abby grinned and reached over the counter, grabbing the kid by the shirt collar and pulling him forward. Liz moved forward to pull her away but could only watch as Abby kissed the kid full on the lips, before letting him go.

Liz watched as the kid raised a shaking hand to his lips, his eyes unfocused and dazed, a goofy smile on his face.

"You are so totally hot" Abby said happily, "Have you still got the cup?" she demanded almost bouncing on the spot in her excitement.

"Ugh… yeah… down here" the kid said dazedly, reaching down without taking his eyes of Abby. He slowly straightened up and handed Abby a white cup, with a lid and the store logo on it.

"Did you wash it?" Abby asked excitedly, reaching past him to grab a napkin from the counter, and using it to hold the cup.

"No were not allowed to, insurance" the kid replied, his eyes never leaving Abby's face.

"I could kiss you again" Abby said in ecstasy, clutching the unwashed cup to her, like a lost treasure.

"Sure" the poor boy murmured leaning forward in preparation.

Liz couldn't stifle her snicker as she leant forward between Abby and the boy.

"Down boy" she murmured to him with a soft laugh "we're going to need your prints" she told him, before turning back to Abby.

"I have it from here, if you want to get back and start to analyse that" she said nodding to the cup and its contents. Abby nodded her agreement and marched with determination out of the coffee shop, Gibbs's cup safely stowed in a paper back courtesy of the coffee shop.

Abby never noticed the car outside, its passenger watching her intently.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby stopped to cross at the intersection, not really paying attention to what was going on around her. Her attention was focused on the cup inside the anonymous looking paper bag. She hoped that it would reveal fingerprints and trace elements of arsenic, which would clearly link Writer as the one who had tried to kill Gibbs.

Abby waited impatiently for the cars to pass and she could be on her way again. She looked up in exasperation as a car swung onto the corner of the intersection right in front of her, its tyres squealing a protest. Her eyes widened slightly as the passenger door shot open and the figure in the driver's side lent over, a dark object glinting dully in the light.

"Get in my dear Abigail" she heard the cultured and accented tones from her nightmares utter.

Abby froze for a moment, her head moving automatically behind her to check for an escape route.

"Don't" Ari warned softly "I will shoot you if I have to" he continued, the muzzle of the gun appearing clearly for a moment. "I just want to talk to you" he said, a smile creeping up slowly on his face, the effect transforming his face from that of a killer to the man next door.

Abby's mind whirled at dizzying speeds, trying to work out her best course of action. Slowly though came the realisation that she couldn't out run a bullet, but she had escaped Ari before. Abby looked down at the bag clutched in her hand and slowly dropped it onto the pavement, hoping that Liz would find it later when they realised that she was missing.

"Was that your lunch or perhaps a clue as to your whereabouts?" Ari asked conversationally as Abby carefully climbed into the passenger seat, refusing to look at him.

"So talk" Abby said as she settled into the seat, finally looking at him, her eyes shooting sparks of hatred.

"Buckle up first, Gibbs would never forgive me if I killed another of his ladies, even if it was accidental this time" Ari informed her, his eyes dark and unreadable, but Abby knew in her gut that he was taunting her.

"He isn't going to forgive you anyway" Abby said remaining where she was, making no effort to buckle her seat belt.

Ari laughed softly as he reached quickly over Abby and buckled her up, Abby sat still, keeping her heart rate steady knowing that he was trying to intimidate and scare her.

"So stubborn," Ari murmured when his mouth was close to her ear, his breath whispering intimately against her face. Ari moved back to his seat slowly, his eyes lingering on her before he started the car. "So like Gibbs" he told her a hint of a smile dragging at his face. Abby inclined her head slightly.

"Yep" she said with a wicked grin. "Give me a gun and I'll show you just how like him I can be" she informed Ari, the effect slightly marred by her swinging pig tails.

"I'm not that foolish. I am aware that you can shoot with a high degree of skill" Ari responded as he negotiated the traffic with dexterity and skill.

"Cool car, but I want out, so what do you want?" Abby finally asked as they drove in silence for a while, her eyes taking in the fact that they seemed to be going in a large circle around the block.

"Will Gibbs live?" Ari asked quietly, his tone almost genuinely concerned.

"Yes" Abby responded without hesitation "He isn't going to die till your dead" she informed him happily.

Ari inclined his head in acknowledgement of her words "As you say" was all he said though. Abby frowned as she noticed the NCIS building ahead.

"Tell him I said hello" Ari said as the car pulled to a stop in front of it. Ari reached over Abby and opened her door. "Tell him…" Ari started to say, turning to face Abby, his face betraying an emotion that could almost have been regret.

"Tell him she is mine" Ari finally said as his face settled back into its usual mask.

Abby sat there for a moment longer before slowly getting out of the car, her mind a jumble of confused thoughts as she watched Ari speed away.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ari pulled over the car some distance away from the NCIS building, leaving the keys in the ignition he walked away towards the motorbike parked a short distance away. Before mounting the bike though he pulled out a small plastic box and hit a switch. A city map flashed on, the co-ordinates for the NCIS building highlighted, and a small green light flashing to indicate Abby's position. Ari watched it for a few moments, nodding in satisfaction before mounting his motorbike and roaring away.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Abby walked slowly into the room, and paused. She knew that he was still unconscious but she had secretly hoped that he would be sitting there with his eyes wide open and an angry word on his mouth. But he wasn't, he lay as he had when she had left him a lifetime ago.

Abby slowly crossed over to Gibbs's bedside and stroked back his hair.

"Hey my silver fox" she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. Abby sat down in the chair pulled close to the bed and slowly pulled down her pigtails, swinging her head to shake down her hair.

With a bone deep sigh she lay her head on the bed, her hand finding his and clutching it tightly as she closed her tired eyes and struggled to push back the exhausted tears that threatened to consume her.

"It was her, Liz got your cup back." She told him softly, her eyes still closed, her voice showing the strain of the day. "Her prints are all over it, and the dregs had a mega high content of Arsenic in it." She carried on, as if reporting her finding at the lab. "Liz is with Fornell at the moment… the Jerk" Abby shifted her head slightly so that she could see his face clearly. "Just need to find out why she did it. She's FBI Gibbs, it just doesn't make sense." She whispered closing her eyes again. "We'll get her though" she said her voice slurring as she began to fall asleep. Abby struggled against the sleep pulling her down for a few moments, her conscience arguing that she should tell him about Ari, but her heart refusing to tell him like this, neither won the argument though as sleep finally beat them both.

Gibbs lay silently. His senses returned slowly and he lay there assessing the noises around him and the threat level they posed to him. Slowly the sounds registered, the rhythmic beep, the smell of disinfectant and illness and he realised he was in the hospital. Know he just needed to figure out why.

He slowly opened his eyes, blinking rapidly at the bright light of his hospital room. Before moving anything other than his eyes he took stock of his injuries. He worked from his feet up, moving gently and feeling for pain. But he found nothing to tell him why he was in the hospital; there was certainly no gun shot, or other serious injury. The only pain he was registering was from the canular in his hands and a mild stomach ache. Having assessed his injuries Gibbs turned to his surroundings, he slowly moved his head to take in the room, then he looked down towards the foot of the bed, finally noticing the black haired head lying sleeping on his bed, just below his hand. He stretched out his fingers and caught a few strands of the silky hair in his fingers, allowing it to run through his fingers like water.

"Abby" he whispered croakily to himself, realising that his throat was slightly sore.

He watched in soft amusement as Abby's head shot off the bed as if a starting pistol had just gone off next to her. He watched as she turned to look at him, fear and hope warring in her dark eyes.

"Gibbs?" she asked softly, her hand reaching for his and grasping it tightly. Gibbs grasped it back, surprised at how weak he felt. And at the tremor he felt in Abby's hand. "Thank you" he heard Abby whisper quietly, her eyes telling him far more than his own mental and physical checks had. Whatever had happened to him he had nearly died from it, and Abby was paying the price of loving him.

"What happened?" he whispered against his raspy throat, struggling to get the words out. Abby pulled his hand up to her face and laid his palm flat against her face, feeling the warmth of his skin, loving the way his fingers curved to cup her cheek.

"You were poisoned" Abby replied softly, watching him carefully. Gibbs laid there for a moment his memory slowly returning.

"Ari" he said his eyes hardening slightly at the name. Abby started to say something, not sure if she was going to defend the terrorist or what she was going to say, but Gibbs carried on, not noticing her.

"He tried to warn me" Gibbs said softly, closing his eyes briefly. "Get the doctor Abby and get me the hell out of here" he demanded, strength returning to his voice along with his determination.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Agent Gibbs, I really think you need to remain in this hospital for a few more days, we need to continue with the Chelation therapy as well as…"

"I'm leaving now, with or without my clothes, with or without your permission" Gibbs growled at the young doctor, causing him to step back nervously at the cold blue eyes staring at him.

"Agent Gibbs I don't think you understand…" he tried to begin again.

"I understand perfectly, do you?" Gibbs asked softly, his words taking on a far more sinister meaning with the soft voice Gibbs used.

"Gibbs" Abby said quietly, having stood and watched the by play for the last 5 minutes, "Play nicely" she warned him, crossing back to his side and flashing the doctor a large grin.

"So you want to get out?" she asked him, ignoring the glare he levelled at her.

"I am getting out" he corrected her, not liking the look he saw in her eyes.

"Yeah?" she queried with a grin, "Nurses will love your butt flashing past" Abby warned him with a grin, pointing out that he was only wearing a paper gown.

"But I have a solution, if you promise to leave the nice doctor alone." She told him, her eyes sparkling with relief and happiness. If Gibbs was well enough to but up a fight like this then she knew he was well enough to go home.

Gibbs stared at her through narrowed eyes, but remained silent.

"Promise?" she asked again, her hand absently stoking the back of his that was now free of tubes and wires.

She watched as Gibbs turned and glared at the Doctor, causing him to step back even further away from the bed.

"GIBBS!" Abby admonished him with an exasperated voice, knowing he was doing it deliberately.

Abby turned to look at the doctor, smiling at him disarmingly, not noticing the effect it had on the tall young man, or the reaction Gibbs had to the doctor's reaction to her.

"I can do the Chelation at home with him. There are a tonnes of really cool Chelation therapies from the health food store. Or I can concoct my own one, with a blend of Alfalfa, garlic, fibre, Turin and selenium. Or maybe Rutin and apple pectin" she told the doctor with a grin. "I could make them taste really yucky too" she said, her grin turning to an evil Cheshire cat one. She turned to smile wickedly at Gibbs when the doctor nodded enthusiastically at her suggestion.

"Clothes" Gibbs growled at her, knowing if he wanted out then he would have to agree to her scheme. Abby debated pushing him for the promise to behave but decided that he had given in as much as he ever would. She bent down and reached under the bed and handed him a paper bag with his clothes in it. She then shot off the bed and out of the room before he killed her.

Abby had just finished talking to the Doctor outside of Gibbs's room, whilst he got ready to leave. As she watched the young doctor walk away she sank down on the chair that Tony had vacated a short while ago and grinned weakly at Ducky, standing on the other side of the corridor.

"You think he will be ok?" she asked Ducky worriedly, doubts beginning to creep in about the wisdom of letting Gibbs go home.

"My dear Abigail, Jethro will get better quicker if left to his own devices and your potions." He smiled at her "And he will feel less inclined to rip all of our heads off and use them as footballs" he said with the first real grin he had shared in what seemed like weeks.

"You are so right my Darling Ducky, and I believe the doctor will get to live if we get Gibbs out fast" she said relief washing through her that Ducky believed they were making the right choice. Not that they really had a choice, she thought ruefully.

"He will live longer if he doesn't make puppy eyes at you in front of Jethro" Ducky warned her sternly, earning him a large grin from Abby.

"I might shoot him on principle" Gibbs growled from behind Abby, standing fully dressed in the doorway of his room.

"Now, now Gibbs, that's no way to talk about Jerry. He helped save your life" Abby admonished him with a smile, as she crossed to his side and linked her arm through his.

"I'll make it quick then" Gibbs muttered as he and Abby walked down the corridor.

Ducky watched them for a moment, a smile on his face before he too followed them out of the hospital. A few hours ago Gibbs had been at deaths door; now he was on his way home. Sometimes the man amazed him, and sometimes, he reflected, you just had to accept that that was Gibbs.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Ari watched as they entered the room, their reflections mere shadows on the glass of the window he stared out of. He had known that they would come for him sooner of later. At it appeared as if sooner was the option.

"Hello Ari" Jules Therese murmured as she crossed to stand beside him, her gun held casually in her hand. "It seems we have a slight problem" she informed him softly, a gleam in her eyes that could have been amusement or pleasure, Ari wasn't sure which but he recognised it was one he would have used in this situation.

"Do you?" he murmured softly, not turning from his perusal of the city below him. He watched as the other shadows that had accompanied Therese moved forward slightly, there guns trained on his back.

"Oh I wouldn't say I have really, I was just being polite, but you certainly have." She informed him with a smile of pure hatred.

"And what problem is that then?" Ari murmured, his voice soft and sensual, as he turned to stare at Therese.

"Me" she smiled at him, moving closer and pressing her body against his, her lips mere inches from his ear, her breath caressing it. "And what I'm going to do to you" she whispered, her gun hand reaching up and caressing his hair, the small black automatic brushing through his hair. "I'm going to kill you slowly" she whispered as her lips brushed his ear lope. "And then I'm going to finish off Gibbs, so that you get the glory for it." She finished as she moved away from him, her hand suddenly moving fast, aiming the butt of the gun at his head. Ari reacted faster, dodging his head back and grapping her arm, using it to pull her against his body. He heard the click of the other guns trained on him and grinned as his lips ground into Therese's in a punishing yet sensual kiss, before pushing her away.

"So be it" Ari murmured softly, an almost fatalistic smile on his face. He turned to the two men in the shadows and smiled at them before turning back to Therese. "I don't see any silencers, so you don't plan to kill me here" he said softly making his way to the door, pausing as he reached it. "After you my love" he murmured to the woman staring at him in suspicion.

Jules Therese motioned her companions to follow, all three of them placing there weapons in there pockets, keeping them trained on Ari as they entered the hallway of the hotel that Ari had been using as his base. Ari and Therese walked side by side, her arm linked in his as if they were lovers, the other two men following on behind.

As they reached the elevator and headed for the underground car park Ari bent his head and nibbled in her ear "What am I supposed to have done?" he whispered into her ear, so that other passengers in the elevator didn't hear him.

Therese turned into his body, her arms snacking around his neck as her mouth met his "Warned Gibbs" she whispered into his mouth as she intensified the kiss, her tongue meeting his and then withdrawing, his tongue following into her mouth. Therese then bit down on it hard.

Ari pushed her away, his hand reaching out and wiping the blood from his mouth

"You bitch" he whispered as he pulled her closer to him again, his eyes shooting hatred at her, hers laughing at him in silent triumph.

"Remember that" she warned him as they excited the elevator and headed for a dark blue Mercedes. Ari just grinned as he climbed into the back of the car, his grin staying in place as the car drove off. Everything was going to plan, he thought to himself, his grin faltering just a fraction as he thought of what that might actually mean, before he lent back and relaxed into the leather of the rear seat, a smile of supreme confidence replacing his grin.

- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs stood staring at his boat, his ears tuned to the sounds coming from upstairs. It felt as if his home had been invaded and he didn't like it at all, he had looked forward to spending the evening alone with Abby. There was no way he was admitting it but he still felt very woozy and slow. And whilst he was starving, food just didn't sit well in his stomach at the moment, in fact even his coffee tasted funny, which was doing little to improve his mood.

"Hey Gibbs" he heard Liz say quietly from the top of the stairs, "Is this the famous boat I have heard so much about then?" she asked as she slowly and carefully descended the concrete stairs.

"No it's a new car" Gibbs muttered turning to glare at Liz, hoping she would get the message, knowing she would ignore it.

"Feeling better I see" she retorted back with a grin, Gibbs sighed and sipped his coffee, grimacing at the taste of it and the effect it had on his stomach. Liz walked over and handed Gibbs a foul looking liquid. "Abby said I was to make sure you drank it all" Liz said as Gibbs stood staring at the liquid.

"Abby can go to…" Gibbs started to say only to have Liz override his voice

"Ah ah ah, its this or the hospital" she warned him with a big grin "and your unarmed" she added on noticing the look he shot her, one that would have felled lesser men, but not this petite woman.

Gibbs glared at her then at the liquid, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully trying to find a way to ditch it.

"Me or Abby" Liz said correctly interpreting the look, "and I bet she wouldn't hesitate to hold your nose" she warned him. Gibbs growled and downed the liquid in one go, almost gagging on the taste of it. He struggled for breath as the liquid coursed its foul way down to his stomach.

"That damn Doctor would love seeing this" he muttered as he finally found his voice again. Gibbs swung around and grabbed a wood plane from his tools hanging over his work bench.

"Fornell can't track Writer down, she seems to have gone to ground" Liz said as she crossed over to peruse his tools, "Don't you have any electric to…"

"…no I damn well don't" Gibbs growled before she could finish her sentence "Any clues as to why she did it?" he continued in the next breath.

"Nope, not yet" Liz replied thoughtfully, glancing up as she heard a noise on the stairs. Seeing Abby walking down she smiled at her friend and headed towards the stairs, making her way up them when Abby reached the bottom. She paused halfway up, turning to peer over the banister rail.

"I'll clear everyone out" she said softly looking at Abby, knowing that Abby was going to tell Gibbs about her meeting with Ari earlier. She smiled reassuringly at her friend, receiving a smile in return and a wink. Liz walked up the remainder of the stairs grinning, knowing that if anyone could handle Gibbs then it was Abby.

She reached the Kitchen to find Tony and McGee sitting at the table eating the brownies that Abby had baked earlier.

"Ducky gone home?" she asked around a mouthful of the last brownie left on the plate.

"Yeah, and that was my Brownie, me and Probie had a system" Tony complained watching as Liz finished the Brownie off before wiping her hands on Tony's shirt.

"That was you and McGee, not me" she said smiling at the look of disgust on his face, as he pulled his shirt away from his chest looking for chocolate stains.

"We better get going too" she said as she reached over McGee to get her jacket off the chair beside him.

"Why? Abby has more brownies in the oven" Tony declared, sniffing appreciatively at the smell emanating from the oven "Didn't know that the lab rat was such a good cook" he said with admiration.

"Why?" Liz said repeating his question back at him "Because any minute now your going to hear busy bonking noises" she said smiling sweetly at him, laughing at the look of confusion that suddenly turned to comprehension. She burst into a full throated laugh as both Tony and McGee grabbed their coats, looking at the stairs in fear as if she had just told them a three headed dragon was coming up the stairs.

"Take it that means you don't want to stay for the brownies?" Liz called after the two fleeing agents, as she bent to turn the oven off, knowing that Abby wouldn't be getting back to them anytime soon. Gibbs was either going to kill her for not telling him about Ari earlier or Abby really was going to bonk Gibbs's brains out, as she had told Liz was her plan.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby walked over to the cup on the side and grinned at Gibbs

"Good boy" she crooned as she crossed over to his waiting arms.

"You made it taste foul on purpose" he scolded her with a grin, his arms wrapping her securely in his embrace

"I would never do that to you," Abby laughed lifting her head up and gently placing her lips on his as her arms wrapped around his waist.

Abby leaned into the embrace as Gibbs deepened the kiss, his tongue gently parting her lips and finding its way into the warmth of her mouth. She allowed her own tongue to gently spar with his, unconsciously pressing her body further into his, her breasts tightening at the sensation his mouth was creating all over her body. She felt his hands gently rub her back before sliding down to cup her buttocks, sensuously moulding and kneading them before he pulled her up and into his body. Abby felt her feet leave the floor and wrapped her legs securely around Gibbs's waist, the action rocking her pelvis against him. She groaned at the sensation that flooded her already heightened senses. They both gasped for breath as their lips parted, but Abby wanted more and dropped her mouth to his neck, using her tongue to push away the collar of his soft shirt, before using her teeth to nip at his neck. Gibbs angled his head to allow her better access, propping his body against the shell of his boat, his hands tightening on her buttocks, his fingers gently caressing them as he pulled her tighter into his body.

"Please" Abby whispered wanting, needing more. Gibbs smiled at her, more than ready to give her what she wanted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Gibbs cradled Abby in his arms, both breathless and panting, their bodies still joined intimately. He watched as she stretched her body like a cat, grinning at the way she peeked at him under her lashes.

"Wow, for an old man you rock" she whispered against his shoulder, as she laid her head on him, her eyes filled with love and mischief, as she settled herself comfortably against his naked body.

After a few moments of leaning into each other and the boat, Gibbs slowly disentangled their bodies, quickly scooping Abby up into his arms and heading up the cold concrete stairs to the kitchen.

"I hope Liz did get rid of everyone, or Tony's in for a show along with his brownies" Abby laughed as they reached the top of the stairs. She laid her head against Gibbs's chest so she could feel the rumble of laughter rising from him.

"The look on his face would be worth it" Gibbs laughed at Abby, kicking the door open and striding into the empty kitchen. He carried on into the living room, heading for the stairs. He carried Abby tenderly up to their bedroom, and gently placed her on the bed, before pulling the blanket up and tucking it around her.

"Shouldn't I be looking after you?" Abby queried as she sat up, pulling the blanket up and crossing her legs, loving the way Gibbs moved with such confidence, his toned and strong body rippling in the soft light.

"Next time you can carry me upstairs, your getting heavy" he told her as he crawled into the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms and cuddling her against his body once more.

They lay like that for a while, each listening to the others heart beat, both just enjoying the closeness for awhile.

Sometime later Gibbs gently disentangled himself from Abby and lent up on one elbow to peer down at her.

"So are you going to tell me what you have done?" he asked gently, knowing from the way she had been acting that she had done something major.

Abby lay there looking up at Gibbs, wondering how he always knew what others were thinking and how he managed to keep quiet about things until he was ready to spring it on you. She reached up and ran her hand through his thick greying hair and smiled at him.

"I was going to downstairs but you distracted me" she told him primly. Watching as his blue eyes darkened slightly in memory. "I was going to seduce you afterwards so that you didn't kill me" she told him with a grin, "but you beat me too it"

Gibbs smiled down at her before dropping a kiss on her nose.

"Well?" was all he said, his voice taking on his usually tone of impatience. Abby sighed and rolled over, before sitting up and crossing her legs, tucking the blanket around her breasts primly.

"I saw Ari today" she said softly, looking down at the bed, watching Gibbs through the curtain of her thick black hair.

Gibbs remained still for a moment, his face a blank mask before he fell onto his back, his hand falling across his eyes for a moment as he tried to control his anger and hatred.

"And?" he muttered as he got up and paced the room like and caged angry tiger.

"He said she was his" she told him, watching him wearily. Gibbs turned and stared at her for a long moment, his eyes narrowed and cold, his eyes assessing her body as if checking for injuries or damage.

"Damn it" he muttered harshly as he spun around and headed for the bathroom. Abby watched him go, before getting up and heading for the wardrobe for clean clothes as she heard the shower running.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Ari pulled at the ties around his wrist, his movements subtle and understated. He stopped as he felt the knot loosen slightly, using his fingers to check how loose it had become. He didn't want to alert them to the fact that he would soon be free of the ties binding his arms above his head. He watched through hooded eyes as his captors stood some distance away, talking quietly. He strained to hear what they were saying but was unable to succeed.

He made himself relax, his body pulling on his arms slightly, his face impassive, his eyes unreadable. He had known all his life that one day this time would come. And it had never worried him. Death was his living and held no fear for him. He would simply cease to exist. He watched as Jules Therese separated herself from the group, moving slowly towards him, her hips swaying seductively in the tight black slacks she wore.

"Does the condemned man get a last request?" Ari asked calmly, his eyes racking over her body in open admiration.

"No" Therese purred, stepping close to Ari, her hand running down his cheek, one finger reaching out and running along his lips. Ari opened his mouth slightly, allowing the finger to slip into his mouth. He watched as she watched him, a game of cat and mouse ensuing between them. Slowly she withdrew her finger and wiped it contemptuously on his shirt.

"Pity" Ari murmured continuing the conversation from before, "It would have been to have you one last time, I do so enjoy your body" he whispered seductively. Therese grinned as she bent down to retrieve something under the table to Ari's left.

"Your body won't be able to enjoy anything soon" she told him with a smile, brandishing the baseball bat that she had picked up. "I intend to make sure of it" she murmured into his ear, running the bat up his left leg and down his right one, before suddenly swinging it at his stomach. Ari tried to double over but the ties binding his wrists prevented it. He coughed and gasped as white hot heat spread through his body, the pain immense. Ari used all of his senses to block out the pain as much as he could he turned his thoughts inward in order to ride out the wave of pain.

Therese watched him intently, her first reaction to grin as he gasped for breath, but she watched as he gathered his strength around him, his face becoming an impressively blank mask, not outward sign that he was in pain. She swung the bat again in anger, watching as his body reacted to the hit, pulling upwards slightly and tightening but his eyes watched her impassively.

"Feel better now?" he asked her calmly, his voice slightly thicker but other than that no other indication of what she had done.

"No" she ground out, aiming the bad at his knee, missing slightly and hitting his thigh. She watched as he closed his eyes briefly, but once more he stared impassively at her. She began to swing the bat in a flurry of anger, not aiming just swinging.

She watched in satisfaction as blood began to pool around him, but still those dark eyes just stared at her, his lips curving into a smirk, his dark eyes laughing at her, fuelling her anger.

"ENOUGH" roared a commanding voice from behind her, and she swung round to see a tall man in a suit standing in the doorway. She dropped the bat and backed away from Ari, shooting him a glare of pure evil as she did so.

"I want him alive" the man told her sternly, crossing to stand in front of Ari.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ari struggled to stay conscious, he fought the pain radiating through his body whilst trying to convince his captors that he was truly unconscious. He knew that he was only a hairs breadth away from the reality of it. But if he gave into his need for the relief of the darkness he knew that he would pay for his mistake with his life, and he wasn't willing to do that at the moment. He tried to make out what they were saying but found the effort too much to bear. He closed his mind off to their words and turned his mind inwards, blocking out everything else around him, and managing to fight of the black veil pulling at his senses. Turning his mind inward also gave him the illusion of being truly out for the count.

Ari was unsure how long he had hung suspended from his restraints, but he tuned his senses back into his surroundings and listened carefully. When he was sure he was alone he slowly lifted his head and painfully opened his eyes. He stared around the room through blood shot eyes, dried blood congealed and cracked around his eyelids as they opened making things slightly blurry. But he knew he was finally alone.

Slowly and with care he twisted his hands, opening up the wounds on his wrists from the restraints. He waited a few moments for the blood to begin to pour. Carefully he twisted his hands, using the warm wet blood as a lubricant to free his hands from the already loosened constraints. He bit back a scream as his hands popped free, his arms falling to his sides, his body tumbling to the floor as the circulation returned to his arms. He lay there breathing through the white hot pain radiating through his arms and shoulders as they adjusted to being down at his sides again after so many hours above his head.

He swallowed back the bile and vomit and crawled his way to his knees, fighting another wave of pain from the injuries he had sustained when Therese had beaten him with the bat, and from the later injuries inflicted when he was interrogated by the man in the suit.

He looked around the room as he knelt on the floor. He gritted his teeth and lumbered to his feet, a metallic taste filling his mouth as he bit his tongue to stop the cry of pain escaping from his mouth.

He smiled grimly to himself as he crossed the room to a point in the corner. He carefully picked up the chair nearby and placed it under the air vent. He then silently stood and removed the cover, painfully lifting himself inside the air vent. He smiled in satisfaction, knowing that part of his plan had been in relying on the fact that he knew where they would take him, and his having already laid the plans for his eventual escape. Ari had never left anything to chance, and he hadn't planned to start with his own death. He had only survived this game he played by constantly thinking ahead, planning and preparing for any and all eventualities, this one included. He had to admit though he was relieved that he had guessed correctly in where they would bring him.

Part one was a success he though grimly as he slowly made his way out of the warehouse in which he had been held captive. Part two of his plan was much more difficult he thought to himself, as Gibbs's face appeared in his mind. Something's and some people just couldn't be predicted, at least not completely, he thought as he finally made his way outside and to the motorbike he had hidden in the area and the homing device he had hidden on the bike.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I am very sorry it has taken me so long to update but my muse seemed to take a holiday…it appears though that she has returned now and is ready to get back to work.**

**For those of you reading this from STFBEfanfic…As soon as I can fix the conflict between my computer and the site I will be posting there again…I miss you guys!**

**Anyway it's just a short one for now, more will be coming soon!**

Chapter 14

Gibbs lent his head against the tiles in the shower, the warm water flowing over his body. As much as he had enjoyed making love with Abby it had left his battered body exhausted. His mind focused on her last words to him and what Ari might have meant by them. He cursed, his words swallowed by the sound of the water pounding on his body. Ari did nothing by chance and taking Abby and letting her go had been a well thought out threat. One that Gibbs couldn't ignore. Gibbs knew that Ari had been threatening to make Abby his next target if Gibbs didn't play the game, the question was what were the rules?

Gibbs stepped out of the shower and dried himself quickly, hating the slight tremor in his hands. Not from fear but from the exhaustion pulling at his body, a body that not long ago had been fighting for its life.

Gibbs crossed the small room and entered his bedroom, his eyes scanning for Abby but not finding her. He cocked his head and heard the sound of the shower in the family bathroom, without conscious thought his heart began to beat again once he realised she was still there. She was still safe, at least for the time being.

Gibbs dressed quickly and headed down the stairs. He paused at the bottom. His eyes travelled back the way he had come, his ears listening to the sound of the shower before he grabbed his coat and headed out the front door. He knew that when Abby found out he had left she would be furious, but she would get over it, he knew though that he would never get over her death. Too many had died already because of him. He could not let her become another on the list. His actions were set, his mind determined, not realising that sometimes the past clouded the future not allowing you to see clearly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby stepped out of the shower just as the door slammed downstairs; she froze, her eyes narrowing in blazing anger.

"GIBBS!" she shouted, grabbing a towel and running downstairs. She pulled open the front door just in time to see his car speeding down the street. She stood there for a moment, clutching her towel, her eyes following the taillights. She felt a pain in her chest and a fear creeping around in her stomach. Gibbs had gone to find Ari. She knew she should be angry, but fear was beating the anger down. She wasn't sure he was strong enough to take him on at the moment, at least not physically.

Abby slowly shut the door, her shoulders slumping slightly. She crossed over to the sofa and flopped down into it. No sooner had she sat down though than she jumped up again, her eyes bright and sure.

"No damn way Gibbs! No way do you get to do this on your own" she told her absent lover angrily. "You picked the wrong chick if you think you can call the shots all the time" she said as she sprinted back up the stairs to get dressed, her mind spiralling ahead to form a plan. Whether he wanted it or not, the cavalry were coming and this was no Custer's last stand, not unless Ari was playing the leading role.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ari stood in the shadows, and watched Gibbs leave. Perhaps some people were predictable after all, he thought with a grim smile, as he watched Abby standing in the doorway clutching a towel around her damp body.

And once again he had to push back the feeling of regret snaking its way into his soul. He had no place for regret, only his plans his mission. And if someone died so be it, he thought angrily as he watched Abby close the front door. He would not regret it. But he knew deep down that he would, that he already did. And he hated himself for it and he hated Gibbs for making him see things that he had always been able to block out before. He allowed his anger to push away the unwanted feeling and made his way slowly and calmly across the road, his steps sure and determined. He had been set on this course all of his life, and it was time now to end the game. One way or another.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Abby heard the doorbell downstairs and cursed, her eyes flicking to the phone on the bedside table. She really wanted to phone Liz but she decided that she needed to get rid of whoever was at the door first. She pulled her black combats on and ran down the stairs as she fastened them. She grabbed the door with one hand while the other pushed her wet hair from her face.

"I don't…" she got no further before she noticed the cold dark eyes of the person standing before her. She slammed the door shut, her mind speeding ahead of her body. Without waiting to see what Ari would do she sprinted to the back of the house and the basement. Gibbs kept a spare gun down there, if she could get it and get out of the basement before he got in the house she had a chance, she thought desperately. She didn't bother to waste time looking behind her. She had always hated it when women did that in the horror movies, all it did was slow you down or trip you over, her feverish mind thought. She heard the door handle turning and cursed Gibbs for not having a door that locked automatically. She pumped her legs faster hoping she could at least make it to the damn gun before he got to her. If she was going down then so was he she thought with anger and determination.

Abby reached the basement and nearly tumbled down the concrete stairs in her haste to get to the gun in the cabinet. She heard Ari moving slowly through the house, obviously checking rooms as he went, looking for her. Abby threw herself at the cabinet that housed Gibbs's tools and ransacked the large box that contained his neatly lined up tools. She threw them haphazardly around until her hand found the thing she wanted most. She gripped the Sig in her hand, the other one reaching for the clip that went with it. She snapped the two together and thanked Gibbs silently for showing her where he kept them. She held the gun steady, getting a feel for the weight of it before she moved away from the cabinet. She could hear Ari in the kitchen and knew he would be in the basement in seconds. She slid quickly under the boat in the middle of the room, her eyes locked on the stairs that led up to the kitchen. She manoeuvred herself into the best position that offered the most concealment but also allowed her a view of the bottom of the stairs. She steadied her breathing, trying to still her pounding heart, afraid that he would be able to hear it from across the room.

She watched as his feet came slowly into view, the banister preventing her from getting a clear shot of him.

"I know you're down here Abigail" Ari murmured, his voice rich and sensual. "And I am sure you are by now armed" he continued, not moving any further into the basement, his eyes scanning the room for her hiding place. He noticed a small shadow under the boat and smiled to himself. "I don't want to hurt you, just talk to you" he said as he stepped back onto the stairs. He kept his foot tread silent as he moved partly up the stairs. He peered over the banister, working out what her line of sight was.

"Come now Abby, I could have killed you earlier if I had wanted to" he continued to speak calmly, as he slowly and silently climbed over the banister, balancing carefully on the wrong side of it. Holding his gun at the ready he threw himself from the banister, landing with a loud smack he rolled quickly and expertly so that he came up at the side of a stunned Abby.

His gun level with the side of her head, Abby slowly turned and stared down the cold steel. She closed her eyes briefly and cursed her stupidity at not guessing what he had been planning. Slowly she opened her eyes, her dark ones meeting his. Hers shooting sparks of fury and hatred, his cold and unemotional. Slowly and with deliberation she levelled her own weapon at his head.

"You were so like right" she told him with a grin. "I am armed and I'm an ace shot too" she said as if telling him about her latest full spectrum microscope.

"I don't doubt that you are my dear Abby" he said softly "But do you really want to shoot me?" he asked softly, his tone caressing.

"You bet your socks I do" she said clearly, her gaze and aim unwavering. "I'm not Kate" she said, feeling a pang of regret at her words, but knowing he would understand her meaning clearly. Ari angled his head in acknowledgement, his eyes never leaving hers.

"No, your not" he agreed, his eyes darkening with some unknown emotion.

"So, we staying here till Gibbs gets back or what?" she asked Ari calmly, amazing herself at her own calm reaction to the situation.

"That is not my intention" Ari answered "But I can be flexible when the need arises" he added on with a smile.

"Yeah right" Abby muttered sarcastically. "So is this where we both agree to put our guns down on the count of three, or where I blow your brains out?" she asked him with a look that told him she preferred the second option.

"Neither" Ari said as he rolled over onto his side, his action catching Abby of guard again. She tried to follow him with the gun and her eyes but he moved too quickly. One moment they had been in a stalemate and the next he was moving. Abby felt the searing pain in her arm before she heard the echo of the gun shot. She watched as if in slow motion as the gun fell from her hand, blood pooling around it from the wound in her arm.

She tried to react, tried to grab the gun with her other hand, but Ari moved fast, hitting it out of reach and grabbing her at the same time. Abby struggled with all her might, ignoring the pain in her arm and the blood smearing the ground.

"Stop it now" Ari demanded harshly, his breath sucking in as her fist connected with his already battered body. "I really don't want to have to hurt you further" he grunted as she continued to struggle, almost breaking free from his grasp, and trying desperately to crawl away from him.

Ari growled low in his throat and pulled back the hand holding his gun, Abby felt a pain shoot through her mind before darkness claimed her.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Gibbs drove at speeds that would have had most racing car drivers holding on for dear life, his mind was on Ari and not on the road and it was obvious. He kept running over Ari's actions of the last few days and knew something was wrong. His gut told him andso did his mind, but the question was what was it?

He played over what he knew for a fact. Ari had contacted him to warn him that his life was in danger. He had also hinted that his own was too. What did that mean? Were they onto him? Had they figured out he was a double agent? Was it the undercover FBI agent?

Gibbs banged the wheel in frustration, all he had was questions but he had no answers, and it was the answers he needed. He turned his mind back to what Abby had said, that Ari had told her she was his. Who did Ari mean? the FBI agent or Abby? Damn it, more questions still no answers.

He took a deep breath and tried to focus. Ari was mosad, yet for all intent purposes he was a rogue agent, no one had control over him. He had been sent out to infiltrate Al Queda and after that he was on his own. Ari had no remorse, he used anyone he saw fit in order to carry out his mission, and if someone died so be it. People were tools to be used in the war he fought.

Gibbs swore loudly and with a viciousness that would have had his first gunnery sergeant blushing. His gut told him he was right even as he slammed on the breaks and spun the wheel hard at the same time. The car screeched with rubber burning as the car turned 180 degrees, almost on its axis. Horns honked as other cars had to swerve and break to avoid Gibbs's car. He saw none of it. All he saw was Abby alone in the house.

Gibbs had his answers, and they weren't the ones he wanted. But he was sure he was right. Abby was Ari's next target. The game of cat and mouse was coming to an end and so far Ari was in the lead, and as far as Gibbs could tell Ari intended to make sure it stayed that way. One agent down, Abby was next. Only both Gibbs and Ari knew that Abby was different. Gibbs realised that whilst Ari was carrying out his mission he also had a more personal plan. One that would cost Gibbs everything if Ari won.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Liz sat silently in her apartment, her mind turning over the events of the last few days. Something didn't feel right but she just couldn't put her finger on it. She tried to still her mind, to forget about work for awhile and just enjoy her evening. She knew she was exhausted and needed to get some sleep but she seemed unable to switch off at the moment. She sighed, if she knew Gibbs he would be at work bright and early and hounding them all like the devil. She grinned to herself. Perhaps he was the devil she thought with a grin, her tired mind picturing him with horns, tail and a pitch fork.

No the devils of this world were men like Ari she thought angrily, reaching over for the as yet untouched glass of wine she had poured earlier. Her hand paused in mid action. Something had been bothering her all day and his name had sent silent alarm bells ringing through her system. She pulled back from the wine and reached for the phone beside the sofa.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ari pulled the unconscious Abby out from under the boat, and carried her up the stairs. He lay her down gently on the sofa in the den and then stood watching her for a moment. A large bruise was already forming on the side of her head. He tenderly brushed the hair away from it, his fingers carefully tracing the mark before he snatched his hand away as if her skin had burnt him.

"Such a pity to mar such a striking face" he said softly to the unconscious Abby "But so be it" he finished, his tone harder as he spun away and headed to the bathroom. He returned moments later with a bottle of antiseptic and a bandage. Quickly and efficiently he cleaned and covered the wound in her arm, his medical training allowing him to assess the wound as only a minor. He knew she would need stitches but it wasn't fatal. He tried to crush the relief that flooded through him. She was a means to an end and that was all he tried to tell himself. But the voice that Gibbs had released argued that she was a victim, that she was an innocent in all of this.

"There are no innocents" he ground out to the room at large, his eyes glittering with anger and bitterness at himself, at Gibbs and at the world that had created him, needed him and yet hated him.

He threw the antiseptic aside before carrying Abby over to the desk chair in the corner. He placed her on it, holding her in place while he used the rest of the bandage to tie her to the back of the chair, careful to make sure he put no pressure on the gun shot wound. Once he was satisfied she was secure he wheeled the chair into the middle of the room, so that she was clearly visible from the front door, but didn't block his access.

He looked around satisfied that all was ready. He lowered his tired and aching body onto the sofa that moments ago had held Abby. Then he sat back and waited for Gibbs.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: This is just a short one I am afraid. I have bronchitis at the moment and I am finding it hard to cough, type and breathe all at the same time! **

**But I warn you the next one will be the showdown!**

Chapter 17

Liz hung up the phone, her brow furrowed in worry. She sat back on the sofa for a moment, her inner voice telling her there were plenty of reasons Gibbs and Abby hadn't answered. Perhaps they were asleep or otherwise engaged. She shook her head slowly. Gibbs was not the sort of person to leave a phone ringing, not with everything that was going on at the moment. Her hand reached for the phone again and punched in another number. She waited impatiently until it was answered.

"DiNozzo" she heard him grumble sleepily.

"Get dressed, I'll be there in ten minutes" She told him without telling him who it was.

"Why Liz?" Tony demanded back, his tone alert. She could picture him suddenly standing straighter, his eyes wide and alert.

"Cos my gut says there's a problem" she answered him truthfully.

"If you're wrong it won't be your gut with a problem" Tony grumbled before hanging up the phone. Liz couldn't help smiling at that. As if she was afraid of Tony, she thought ruefully before springing into action and getting the things she needed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby became aware of the pain first, then the ringing of the phone. She groggily lifted her head and peered around her.

"What?" she asked in confusion unable to move her arms as the phone stopped in mid ring, the sudden silence jarring. With the silence it all came flooding back to her.

"You total piece of shit" she snarled at Ari, her eyes finding him on the sofa. "You are so dead" she informed him her face and eyes glaring at him with hatred and loathing.

"Gibbs has tried many times to kill me and has failed so far" Ari said quietly, not bothering to look at Abby.

"Who the hell mentioned Gibbs?" Abby snarled back.

Ari turned to look at Abby at that, his eyes inscrutable, a feint smile tugging at the corners of his lips

"No one" he said softly, his eyes penetrating her soul. He slowly nodded at her.

"I believe you would indeed try to kill me" he murmured softly, "The Germans in World War II had a policy of shooting the women first" he told her as he slowly stood and crossed over to stand behind her. "I believe they were right" he whispered into Abby's ear.

"Me too" she spat back at him "Except you need me alive" she told him, trying to turn and look at him, ignoring the pain the movement caused in her head and arm.

"Correct" he answered as he returned to his position on the sofa. "But only for now" he finished, turning to look at her once again.

Abby shivered slightly but refused to look away. She matched him stare for stare, his cold and unreadable hers angry and defiant.

Ari smiled softly before turning to look at the doorway once more.

"I believe Gibbs is home" he said quietly more to himself than to Abby. He turned once more to look at her, a cruel smile on his face.

"It has been a pleasure" he said as once more he stood and crossed to stand behind Abby. This time though it wasn't his voice she heard in her ear but the click of a gun.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Gibbs pulled into his driveway and jumped out of the car. He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the area. But nothing seemed out of the ordinary. And yet he knew Ari was here, with Abby.

He checked his Sig, before slowly making his way up the steps that led to his front porch. Once more he paused and listened, and once more he heard nothing. But he knew, deep down in his guts, in every fibre of his being, he knew Ari was inside with Abby. Gibbs narrowed his eyes as he planned his next action. If Ari wanted Abby dead he would have done so earlier in the day. That wasn't his plan, he needed Abby. He needed her to make sure Gibbs played the game. Gibbs smiled coldly. He was going to play alright, but on his rules not Ari's.

Gibbs opened the front door slowly, his mind and body controlled and ready. He pushed the door open with one hand, his other holding his gun steady and ready. He scanned the entrance quickly, his body leaning slightly away from the entrance. The immediate area was clear. He turned his attention quickly further and that was when he saw her.

His cold blue eyes narrowed in a fleeting but almost undetectable display of anger, before they once more settled into impassivity. He stared down the hallway at Abby tied to the chair, Ari standing behind her with his gun held firmly at her head. Gibbs raised his own gun slowly, his aim sure, if impossible to take. Ari had positioned Abby in such away that there was no clear shot at him. But then, Gibbs thought, Ari had never been stupid.

"Abby" Gibbs said softly, his eyes barely flicking at her as his attention stayed on Ari.

"Hey Gibbs" she answered with a grin. "Can I shoot the bastard?" she asked with a bravado that was almost echoed in her eyes. Only Gibbs could see the fear hiding deep in the dark recess of her gaze.

"Nope" Gibbs grinned back at her, "He's mine" he said as he stepped fully into the house his foot kicking the door shut behind him. This was a family neighbourhood and the last thing Gibbs wanted was a stray bullet heading out the door.

"So very touching" Ari drawled from his position behind Abby. "But rather misplaced don't you think Gibbs?" he asked softly. His gave impassive and intent at the same time as he watched Gibbs move closer to Abby.

"Nope" Gibbs drawled in response. He stopped just a few feet away from Abby and Ari, his eyes quickly taking in the bruising on Abby's face and the bandaged shoulder. He gritted his teeth slightly at the wounds, but showed little other emotions at her predicament.

Ari watched the anger flash quickly across Gibbs's face as he looked at Abby closely. He silently commended him for his ability to mask his emotions. Few people, in Ari's opinion, were able to remain calm in such a situation as this.

"I must apologise for Abby's appearance, but unfortunately she is a rather stubborn woman." He informed Gibbs with a slight inclination of his head, as if in apology. "I had to use rather more force than I would have liked in order to subdue her" he continued goading Gibbs slightly.

"Yep" was all Gibbs said as he stood before them, his gun still trained on them, still unable to get a clear shot.

Both men remained quiet, each assessing the other, each planning their next move carefully.

"I'm bored" Abby said with a grin "Can I go now?" she asked to neither man in particular. Ari laughed softly next to her. Gibbs's face softened as he smiled at her.

"I am afraid not" Ari murmured into her ear, his breath causing the escaped tendrils of her hair to flutter against her cheek, the action strangely intimate.

"I assume you have a reason for this?" Gibbs asked quietly, his gaze hardening at Ari's actions with Abby.

"Of course" Ari said, straightening slightly, but still not enough for Gibbs to get a shot off.

"You plan to share anytime soon?" Gibbs queried when Ari said no more. Ari inclined his head slightly and grinned.

"To finish this once and for all my friend" He said quietly as he stepped from behind Abby, his gun still firmly held against her head, his finger pulling back on the trigger slightly.

Abby heard the whisper of the metal, the sound of the trigger moving and felt her heart freeze. She stared at Gibbs, her eyes wide and afraid, begging him to help her.

Gibbs stared at them both impassively, whilst inside his heart and soul screamed at him to do something to save Abby.

But he knew that if he shot Ari now, his finger would release the trigger and Abby would die in front of him, just as Kate had.

"Why?" Gibbs asked quietly, knowing that Ari would understand the question.

Ari stared at Gibbs, the hatred in him finally showing in his eyes, the way they narrowed slightly and hardened. The black pools of them staring at Gibbs and yet not really seeing him.

"Because it is over for me, and for now for you" he said softly, his accent heavier than usual, his tone conversational but with an edge to it.

"And killing Abby is the end?" Gibbs replied carefully, needing to understand what game Ari was playing.

"To kill you would be too quick; you would feel no real pain." Ari said his voice soft.

"If I kill Abby you will suffer in a living hell for the rest of your life" he told Gibbs, his free hand stroking the side of Abby's head tenderly, his actions a contradiction to his words.

"Nah not really" Gibbs answered calmly his eyes taking in Ari's actions whilst still keeping him in his sights. "I'll just kill you and have my revenge for both Abby and Kate" Gibbs replied with a shrug of his shoulders. His manner clam and relaxed when in reality he felt anything but.

Ari grinned "I don't think you will get over it quite so easily Gibbs. You will always damn yourself for not having killed me before. There will be no peace for you" he informed Gibbs coldly, the muzzle of the gun flicking slightly across Abby's head.

Gibbs fought the urge to throw his gun down and leap at the bastard for touching his Abby, for terrifying her like this. Gibbs was unable to look at her, knowing that if he did and saw the terror in her eyes he would react stupidly, he would allow his anger and hatred to take control. He took a steadying breath quietly before speaking once more.

"Again why?" He asked softly, playing for time, trying to find some way to get the bastard without killing Abby at the same time.

"Because I have failed because of you, because since meeting you I have lived in hell, and know it's your turn. Because I can" he said coldly "Because you're everything that I was never allowed to be" he finished on almost a whisper.

Gibbs stared at him, hating him as he had never hated anyone before. But also hating the parents that had done this to him, the society that had used him, but most of all hating Ari for being the cold hearted bastard he was.

"Do you want me to feel sorry for you?" Gibbs asked softly, his tone cold and hard. His eyes filled with loathing "Because I don't" he said calmly, taking a step closer to Ari. "You made your choices; you are what you are because you choose to be." He watched the anger and perhaps pain, flash in Ari's eyes "I don't buy into that parent blaming crap" he continued "we make our own choices" he finished standing close to Ari, his eyes boring into Ari's relentlessly. "You could have been like me, but you didn't have the guts for it" he finished cruelly, "just like I could have been like you, but chose not to be" he said, watching as Ari sneered at him, watching as his ice control began to chip away.

"You know nothing about me, about my life" Ari demanded angrily, swinging the gun away from Abby and towards Gibbs. In the split second that Ari fired so did Gibbs.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Abby felt her blood run cold. She tried desperately to get Gibbs's attention but he studiously ignored her. She listened wide eyed with fear as he goaded Ari in an attempt to get him to shoot him and not her. Abby had never felt so afraid in her life, not because Ari was pointing his gun at her but because if Gibbs succeeded he would die in front of her as she sat there helpless. Abby gritted her teeth as a tear rolled silently down her face. She couldn't let Gibbs do this, but she didn't know what she could do to stop him. She opened her mouth to beg him to stop but as she did she paused, watching as Gibbs stepped ever closer to Ari, as Ari's anger increased. She tried to ignore the tears threatening to blind her as suddenly she noticed something that neither of the men had seen.

Abby swallowed hard and tried to still her heart, praying that Liz could get a shot off. She tried desperately not to look at her friend peering in at the window. She knew that if she gave Liz away then it would all be over, either for her or for Gibbs. Abby turned her attention back to Gibbs and Ari praying for this nightmare to be over, praying for Gibbs to live. She watched as if in slow motion as Ari swung his gun from her towards Gibbs. Without even realising what she was doing Abby swung her legs out and aimed a fast and furious kick at Ari's legs. She never knew if she connected as suddenly everything was happening at once.

Time seemed to stop as Abby heard the shoots firing, watched as Ari fell slowly to the floor, she saw wood splintering around her, glass glittering in the light. Abby was unable to look away as she watched Gibbs fall slowly to the ground, his eyes staring at her before they slowly closed and he lay silent next to Ari.

Abby didn't realise that the scream echoing around the house was her own. She struggled desperately at the ties that still bound her to the chair, her eyes never leaving Gibbs's face as he lay so still and silent. She never felt the hands that stilled her frantic struggles and freed her body from the chair. Abby never even realised she was moving until she was on the floor next to Gibbs, her hands reaching out to touch him. She pulled him close to her, not noticing the activity around her, the voices calling to each other, she never saw Tony kick Ari's gun away before he bent down to check for a pulse. She rocked Gibbs in her arms, the world just a blur around her as she felt his blood staining her hands. She held him tightly, unable to speak as her fears choked her. She rocked him as a mother would a child, her tears falling silently onto his face. She felt a hand touch her shoulder trying to get to Gibbs, and she fought them off, unable to let him go, unable to stop the scene from replaying in her minds eye. Suddenly McGee was there, pushing her away, his eyes desperate as they met hers. She saw his mouth moving but she heard no words, all she heard was the sound of the bullets leaving the gun,the sound ofGibbs's body hitting the ground. Suddenly Abby was flying through the air, her feet not touching the ground as Tony pulled her bodily away from the man she loved. She felt another pair of hands grasping her, a voice trying to talk to her. She struggled to make sense of what was happening but all her mind kept screaming was his name. She never realised that the sound was not in her mind but echoed around the room as Abby screamed for Gibbs, her hands reaching out, struggling against the hold Liz had on her.

She watched as Tony and McGee bent over Gibbs, and then suddenly she felt nothing as the world around her faded to black andthe darknessclaimed her.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Abby awakened to darkness, she lay there trying to work out where she was and what had happened. Suddenly the images came rushing into her mind and her breath caught in her chest, pain flooding her body and mind.

"Abigail" she heard from the shadows, for a moment Abby lay still in fear at the softly spoken word, her mind only registering an accent. Slowly though it impinged that the voice was English.

"Ducky" she sobbed, turning to where his voice had come from, seeing him crossing from the chair in the corner of her room. "Gibbs…" she tried to ask unable to say more, as she felt the tears stream down her face, her last image of him lingering in her mind.

"Jethro is in a much bettercondition than you my dearest Abigail" Ducky informed her as he took her cold hands in his, careful not to jar her shoulder. "His injury looked far worse than it was" he whispered as he pointed to the other side of her bed. Abby turned her head to where he was pointing and saw the shadow of a figure laying in a bed next to her. Abby felt her heart stop beating at the still figure, her confused and tired mind unable to fully grasp what Ducky was saying. Suddenly she understood and threw back the covers, her feet hitting the cold floor before the covers had even settled at the bottom of the bed. Ducky walked rapidly around the other side of her bed, taking her weight as her legs gave out at the sight of Gibbs laying there silently, his head covered in bandages.

"A flesh wound" Ducky informed her softly as he held her. "The bullet glanced his forehead, he will have a rather dashing scar and a terrible headache for a few days." He informed her softly as he lowered her into the chair next to Gibbs's bed. "But he will be fine" he continued calmly and with emphasis.

Abby stared at Ducky stupidly, trying to marry what he had said with the images in her head. She turned and stared at Gibbs again, as slowly her mind accepted the truth. There were no machines connected to him, no tubes keeping him alive, just the steady rise and fall of his chest.

Abby stared at Ducky a smile creeping onto her face, her eyes sparkling at what she saw.

"He's not dead" she whispered with a laugh, she stood and threw her arms around Ducky "He's not dead!" she repeated with a giddying sense of relief.

"Keep shouting and I might wish I was" Abby heard from the bed beside her.

She spun away from Ducky and stared at the blue eyes watching her. Abby threw herself onto the bed, feeling Gibbs's arms enfolding her tightly. Abby's tears turned to ones of joy as they held each other, both basking in the joy that they were alive and together.


	20. Epilogue

Epilogue

The air was crisp, and the sky a beautiful pale blue that held the promise of a beautiful autumn day, but Gibbs saw none of it. He never heard the silence of the area, the occasional bird singing or the rustling of the leaves, the peace the silence gave. He stared down at the ground before him, slowly his eyes turned to the headstone standing tall and proud, just as she had he thought sadly. His fingers traced her name gently, a name that was forever carved in his heart, in his mind.

He pictured her smiling, laughing, angry. But they never took away that last image he had of her, laying on the roof top a bullet hole in her head. Nothing took the image away, not even the knowledge that finally Ari had his bullet in him, that Ducky had finally been able to weigh his liver. He had thought that when finally it was over there would be some kind of closure, but there wasn't, it didn't change the fact that Kate was still dead.

Gibbs sighed and bent down to place the flowers he held onto her grave. He picked a few weeds out of the ground before straightening again his eyes distant, his demeanour remote.

"It's over Kate" he said softly, his voice betraying none of the emotions he held inside. "Ari is dead" he whispered to her. He had made her a promise so long ago and he had finally kept it. He just hadn't realised what the personal cost to him would be.

He thrust his hands in his pocket, his shoulders slightly hunched, not against the cold crisp air but against the memories he fought to beat back.

He stood there silently for a moment, his hand touching the sheet of paper folded in his pocket. He slowly drew it out and stared at the creased sheet.

Ari had known that he was going to die, his cover had been blown but he had still managed to pass on the information that had led to the capture of Jules Therese, or Julie Writer as was her real name, he had written it all down, knowing it would be found after his death.

It always amazed Gibbs what people would give up for money. They would sacrifice family, love and honour. They would betray their country and friends all for money. It wasn't something Gibbs really understood, money meant little to him. Family, honour and justice were what mattered. But to some they meant nothing.

He fingered the corner of the sheet of paper, his eyes skimming it for the thousandth time. He tore his eyes from the paper to Kate's gravestone. Ari had passed on information not only on Julie Writer, but on the leader of the American Al Queda cell. They hadn't caught him yet but at least they now knew who he was and what he looked like. It was only a matter of time before they found him. Gibbs turned to watch a bird hover above the cemetery. He watched as it circled, swooping lower and lower until suddenly it swooped down below the tree line, obviously in search of its prey. Gibbs smiled slightly as it re-appeared a few moments later, something clutched in its talons. He turned and smiled at Kate's grave, the hunter finding his prey he thought, something he understood.

Gibbs turned his attention once more to the paper in his hand, to the letter Ari had written, the letter for Gibbs.

Gibbs remembered his last conversation with Ari, where he had claimed he had felt no sympathy for him, but Gibbs knew that he had lied to some degree. It wasn't sympathy he had felt but empathy. He could understand what had driven Ari. He understood because Gibbs was only ever a step away from being Ari, they all were.

Gibbs knew what it meant to fight for something you believed in, to kill for something you believed was right. Ari had been no different, only more ruthless, more determined to win. In different circumstances Gibbs wasn't sure he would react any differently, he wasn't sure anyone would.

He looked down at the paper and read the words written there.

_My friend, _

_I pray that it is your bullet that ends it, __that you find the justice you seek in my death. _

_Are we really so different? _

_Ari Haswari_

Gibbs balled it up and threw it high into the air, watching as the wind carried it away. No they weren't so different, and that scared Gibbs.

Gibbs turned and slowly walked away, it was over.

**The End**

**I juat wanted to say thank you to everyone for reading and especially for reviewing...it is appreciated!**


End file.
